Coming from a DLR Vet

[Soaptopia]

Should I get parkhoppers? At DLR, it is pretty much essential to get park hoppers, because DCA isn't a "whole day" kind of park. So I was wondering if I should get park hoppers for my trip in January? I am wondering about the three parks, DHS, Epcot, and AK, would they be parks that I could spend a whole day in? DF and I are more thrill seekers and not so much show watchers. So I would think we'd get bored after a while. It's overwhelming coming from such a compact little park where I know everything and it's location, and trying to plan a trip to a place I've never been!

 

[Jacie]

Should I get parkhoppers? At DLR, it is pretty much essential to get park hoppers, because DCA isn't a "whole day" kind of park. So I was wondering if I should get park hoppers for my trip in January? I am wondering about the three parks, DHS, Epcot, and AK, would they be parks that I could spend a whole day in? DF and I are more thrill seekers and not so much show watchers. So I would think we'd get bored after a while. It's overwhelming coming from such a compact little park where I know everything and it's location, and trying to plan a trip to a place I've never been!

I'm also a DLR vet, but having been to WDW, I will never not have hoppers. MK is smaller than DL and, in my opinion, without kids isn't a full day park. (We are thrill ride seekers too, and were very disappointed in MK. Space Mountain is not as good, no Matterhorn, no Indiana Jones, POTC doesn't have as many hills... Only Thunder Mountain is basically the same.) DH and I love Everest at AK, and RnR Coaster/Tower of Terror at DHS, and we hop between the two after we visit MK and EP briefly.

I would get hoppers

 

[Soaptopia]

I'm also a DLR vet, but having been to WDW, I will never not have hoppers. MK is smaller than DL and, in my opinion, without kids isn't a full day park. (We are thrill ride seekers too, and were very disappointed in MK. Space Mountain is not as good, no Matterhorn, no Indiana Jones, POTC doesn't have as many hills... Only Thunder Mountain is basically the same.) DH and I love Everest at AK, and RnR Coaster/Tower of Terror at DHS, and we hop between the two after we visit MK and EP briefly.

I would get hoppers

I've asked this before, but in your honest opinion is it even worth going to WDW? I hear that a lot, that DLR's originals are better. And I just looked at the refurb list and my absolute favortie, BTMRR is down. I could just save the money I'd spend on plane tix (I can drive to DLR in 5 hours) and stay at GCH or something for our honeymoon. I HATE TRYING TO DECIDE! lol

 

[momtoejanda]

I havent been to DLR in years so I cant really make a fair comparison for you but....

We never get park hoppers at WDW and we spend 2 full days at each park. Now, if my kids were older and we did parks after dinner into the EMH then maybe I would.

If I were you, dont get them, and when you get there if you want the option then add them at that point. Price is the same to upgrade while you are there so dont pay for it until you need it.

 

[Jacie]

I've asked this before, but in your honest opinion is it even worth going to WDW? I hear that a lot, that DLR's originals are better. And I just looked at the refurb list and my absolute favortie, BTMRR is down. I could just save the money I'd spend on plane tix (I can drive to DLR in 5 hours) and stay at GCH or something for our honeymoon. I HATE TRYING TO DECIDE! lol

Honestly, I would go once and try it to judge for yourself.
We just moved to KY about 10 months ago from NV, and that's the only reason why WDW is where we will be going from now on. If it were split in the middle, I would probably choose DL over WDW. WDW does have the awesome resorts to explore though, and AK was really neat and different. (Plus, Everest is like an updated version of Matterhorn and SO fun!) I have told DH several times though, that as soon as the Cars section is done at CA, I want to get back out to DL. I miss the simplicity of being able to stay at a hotel across the street and walk to both parks in 5 minutes, and I miss Indiana Jones sooo bad! (AK has a ride called Dinosaur which is basically IJ, but really dark, and not themed as cool.)
I would do WDW at least once, and feel for yourself. I guess I'm just so biased, haha. We also did Universal and did Harry Potter one of my first days in Orlando, and it was neat too. But, I would definitely do hoppers when you do come!

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Should I get parkhoppers? At DLR, it is pretty much essential to get park hoppers, because DCA isn't a "whole day" kind of park. So I was wondering if I should get park hoppers for my trip in January? I am wondering about the three parks, DHS, Epcot, and AK, would they be parks that I could spend a whole day in? DF and I are more thrill seekers and not so much show watchers. So I would think we'd get bored after a while. It's overwhelming coming from such a compact little park where I know everything and it's location, and trying to plan a trip to a place I've never been!

For your needs, I would suggest the park hoppers. Without the shows, neither AK, nor DHS is a full day's park and you'll want to hop.

 

[sharonabe]

Depending on how many days you plan to stay, you may want to look in to getting the Water Park & More option as well or instead of park hopper. That would be something different from DLR and use up some of that time. One word of advice, though, you'll need to do at least 2 visits to the More options to make it worth the extra money.

 

[burnsoc]

Being that you like the thrill rides, I would also visit Universal Studios while in Orlando. WDW and US are only about fifteen minutes away from each other. I love WDW, but I don't go for the thrill rides. My local Six Flags has much better ones. We'll also be there in January for the third year in a row and the weather for going to the water parks can be iffy. On the upside the crowds and weather are worth a few rides being refurbished . This year Splash Mountain will be open while BTMRR is down and it's been closed our last two trips. So we're excited as this is our favorite ride.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The cost to add hopping (or WPF&M) is $55 ($58.58 including tax) per ticket. It does not matter if it is adult or child, two day or ten days, first day of use or last day of use, the price is the same. (For a Florida Resident it is $27.50 plus tax.)

Note that to add hopping to a one day ticket is $35 ($37.28 including tax)

So if you are not sure, don't order them. If you find you do need them, then upgrade your tickets at any ticket window or Guest Relations Office. It only takes a minute or so.

 

[JLCJMC]

Everyone has their own personal feelings and favorites -- part of what I love about reading the boards! I have personally been to DL one time and DW more times than I can count. I always get the park hopper option at DW because I love to be able to head to whatever I want, especially in the evenings. I find the transportation between parks is simple and being able to headover to Epcot after a morning at MK is one of my favorite things in the world I also love to stay at the Epcot resorts because you can walk into two of the parks -- so very nice to go to AK in the morning, head back to the room for a swim after lunch and then out again to Studios or Epcot in the late afternoon/early evening. Sigh ... I am wishing that was my day today

Whatever you decide, have a wonderful time.

 

[amym2]

Personally we always get PH at WDW. Last month we were intending to spend a whole day at Epcot but it started raining about 4pm and didn't quit. I love World Showcase, but not in the rain! So the following day, instead of going to MK as planned, we hit DHS, then Epcot, then MK. It was great having that flexibility.

I'd encourage you to try to keep an open mind about WDW. Yes, there are rides you'll want to do, but so much of the charm is in the other details (find Devine in AK, watch the street performers in Epcot). We went to DLR last summer and while we loved it (and I agree that DLR's major rides are better than WDW's), it didn't have the same all around feel as WDW. We love to wander around the WDW resorts- so much more interesting than DLR's.

I'd absolutely say you need a full day at Epcot. We usually need 2 days, and even then we don't do everything. DHS and AK can be done in 1/2 days although you'll miss out on some of the best parts. I know you said you don't do shows, but give Lion King at AK a chance. Indiana Jones at DHS is good also.

If you're assuming that WDW won't be as good as DLR, then absolutely, scratch the plans and go to DLR instead. But I think you'll be missing out on a wonderful opportunity.

 

[Goofy_Mom]

Hello, I'm a DL vet also. It's a six hour drive for us and we go at least once a year. On Friday we leave for our 1st WDW vacation. Hydroguy has a thread for DL vet's 1st time to WDW, I think it's on the DL side of the boards. If it helps, here's our plan:

Our crew is DH, DD10, DS3, and of course myself. DS will be 4 in Janurary and insists on walking most of the time, so we aren't going camando style.

We have a day to fly in and a day to fly out. Our flight leaves 8:30am CA time and lands 8:30pm FL time.

No hoppers, no water parks. We are doing one park/day. If we find we want to hop, we'll add it later. I planed which park we'll be in for the 1st four days. I based that decision on events happening. For instance, the F&W festival I've heard tends to get a bit rowdy on the weekends for the locals, so I planned that visit for Monday. I do want to see their version of F!, so Sunday is our DHS. We are doing MNNSHP on Tuesday, so that left Satuday for AK. The remaing three days are kids' choice.

We (I) have our must do first thing for each of the first four days. AK, for example, we are doing the safari first because that's when the animals are most active. Then head over to Everst to get FP's and maybe a ride. After that, it's wander across the parks, checking ride times for the area that we are in. (I'm using MouseWait FL).

 

[Soaptopia]

Thanks for the help everyone! I almost considered not going there, just because of how overwhelmed I am, but now I think I need to try it once and I am sure DF and I will have an AMAZING time regardless of a couple of rides that may be better at DLR. At least it will be fun to compare them! We will be watching a few of the shows too. I think what we'll probably do is add park hoppers if we feel we need them. I plan on doing a bit of hotel exploring and DTD so maybe I can get by without needing to add the tickets.

Now, I saw the schedule for January 28, and it shows that a bunch of rides at one of the water parks are down, but the hours are still showing it open. Is it worth going to? I heard somewhere that they keep the pools heated, so I was looking forward to going to one of the water parks!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

We are DLR vets too and did WDW in September without park hoppers. We probably would do PHs next time because we like the Epcot resort area and we'd eat in Epcot more. I heard it took so much time park hopping, but if you are going back to your resort midday anyways its no difference. Also there were many things we wouldn't do again. We very rarely rode rides more than once because we found them much shorter in length than those at Disneyland and it left us with a "we're done already" feeling. Also if it's busy at one park you can switch to another....we had one day that we wished we could've hopped to go to Epcot instead but it wasn't worth the cost of PHing one day.

 

[Soaptopia]

We are DLR vets too and did WDW in September without park hoppers. We probably would do PHs next time because we like the Epcot resort area and we'd eat in Epcot more. I heard it took so much time park hopping, but if you are going back to your resort midday anyways its no difference. Also there were many things we wouldn't do again. We very rarely rode rides more than once because we found them much shorter in length than those at Disneyland and it left us with a "we're done already" feeling. Also if it's busy at one park you can switch to another....we had one day that we wished we could've hopped to go to Epcot instead but it wasn't worth the cost of PHing one day.

Yeah, I guess it would be a good idea to get park hoppers. DF and I will probably take midday breaks and park hoppers would be worth the extra cost.


I have another question, I have been pretty much hooked on the Riverside Port Orleans Resort, and have a few different offers saved. Today I regrettably decided to check out the prices for one of the value resorts, which I think are so ugly, and I chouldn't believe how much cheaper it was.. I am tempted because since the park is so new to us, we'll be at the parks most often, but I also wanted a nice resort to relax at. I am having a hard time deciding. Of course DF says "pick the cheapest one" but I know even he would enjoy a nicer resort. AND this is our honeymoon. That alone makes me want to book a room at the Contemporary or Poly!! Care to explain why that would be a good idea? Bad idea?

 

[scion5220]

We are DLR vets too and did WDW in September without park hoppers. We probably would do PHs next time because we like the Epcot resort area and we'd eat in Epcot more. I heard it took so much time park hopping, but if you are going back to your resort midday anyways its no difference. Also there were many things we wouldn't do again. We very rarely rode rides more than once because we found them much shorter in length than those at Disneyland and it left us with a "we're done already" feeling. Also if it's busy at one park you can switch to another....we had one day that we wished we could've hopped to go to Epcot instead but it wasn't worth the cost of PHing one day.

It's funny you say that because when I rode POC at DLR recently I kept thinking..."good grief...how much longer is this ride?"

The two "resorts" are just different, period. DLR is about the parks and WDW is about a "vacation" in my opinion. At WDW there are luxury hotels and golf courses and water parks and water sports and fine dining...it's just different.

There is a reason that DLR has an overwhelming majority of "local" guests...it's just not the same kind of resort destination that WDW is.

And this is coming from a Florida local who rarely takes advantage of the "resort" amenities in Florida. I have also been to DLR many times and I wouldn't consider it to be exactly loaded with true "thrill" rides, either...if I can ride em they must not be that "thrilling!"

People who visit both places just have to accept that they are very different and each is wonderful, but you can't spend all your time comparing.

 

[scion5220]

Yeah, I guess it would be a good idea to get park hoppers. DF and I will probably take midday breaks and park hoppers would be worth the extra cost.


I have another question, I have been pretty much hooked on the Riverside Port Orleans Resort, and have a few different offers saved. Today I regrettably decided to check out the prices for one of the value resorts, which I think are so ugly, and I chouldn't believe how much cheaper it was.. I am tempted because since the park is so new to us, we'll be at the parks most often, but I also wanted a nice resort to relax at. I am having a hard time deciding. Of course DF says "pick the cheapest one" but I know even he would enjoy a nicer resort. AND this is our honeymoon. That alone makes me want to book a room at the Contemporary or Poly!! Care to explain why that would be a good idea? Bad idea?

I wouldn't say you have to go all the way to deluxe (unless money is no object), but I wouldn't want to spend my honeymoon at a value resort. Port Orleans is a nice middle ground where the resort grounds and amenities are a little nicer along with the boat transportation to DTD.

 

[siskaren]

Now, I saw the schedule for January 28, and it shows that a bunch of rides at one of the water parks are down, but the hours are still showing it open.

Where did you see this? Each of the water parks closes for about 2 months each year for refurbishment, and for when you're going to be there that'll be Typhoon Lagoon. But I can't find any indication that any of the rides at Blizzard Beach are going to be closed, and it wouldn't make sense anyway unless a ride needed a more extensive refurbishment than could be handled during the 2 months that Blizzard Beach will be closed.

 

[Soaptopia]

It's funny you say that because when I rode POC at DLR recently I kept thinking..."good grief...how much longer is this ride?"

The two "resorts" are just different, period. DLR is about the parks and WDW is about a "vacation" in my opinion. At WDW there are luxury hotels and golf courses and water parks and water sports and fine dining...it's just different.

There is a reason that DLR has an overwhelming majority of "local" guests...it's just not the same kind of resort destination that WDW is.

And this is coming from a Florida local who rarely takes advantage of the "resort" amenities in Florida. I have also been to DLR many times and I wouldn't consider it to be exactly loaded with true "thrill" rides, either...if I can ride em they must not be that "thrilling!"

People who visit both places just have to accept that they are very different and each is wonderful, but you can't spend all your time comparing.

Good point, I will think of it as two entirely different trips.

Now we've gotten on the subject of a premier pass. We had AP's for DLR in 2010 and we definitely got our money's worth. We could get Premiers and go to WDW 2x (maybe even more!!), and DLR infinity times like we did in '10. Maybe I'll go nuts and just get Premier tix AND book a stay for a theme park view at Poly. I'll never have another honeymoon again! (Hopefully! )

 

[Soaptopia]

Where did you see this? Each of the water parks closes for about 2 months each year for refurbishment, and for when you're going to be there that'll be Typhoon Lagoon. But I can't find any indication that any of the rides at Blizzard Beach are going to be closed, and it wouldn't make sense anyway unless a ride needed a more extensive refurbishment than could be handled during the 2 months that Blizzard Beach will be closed.

I realized I read it wrong, all of the refurbs scheduled for Blizzard Beach will be done in December, so every ride will be open when we go there. =)

I wouldn't say you have to go all the way to deluxe (unless money is no object), but I wouldn't want to spend my honeymoon at a value resort. Port Orleans is a nice middle ground where the resort grounds and amenities are a little nicer along with the boat transportation to DTD.

I agree, I think it has a nice romantic feel to it. I don't think the Value resorts are very nice at all, but maybe when I go check one of them out while I'm there my opinion will change for the next trip. I'll see how much money we can get saved up prior to the trip. I don't feel comfortable booking now, except the prices are only going to go up!