Disneyland v. Disney World Early March

[GeorgiaHoo]

Thanks all. Still debating switching to Disneyland and staying at GC. It's actually about $200 a person less expensive for flights to LAX so we would just about make up the difference in cost between Port Orleans and GC.

 

[Wilcojoe]

Thanks all. Still debating switching to Disneyland and staying at GC. It's actually about $200 a person less expensive for flights to LAX so we would just about make up the difference in cost between Port Orleans and GC.

I like your rationale. I think it’s the perfect destination for a shorter stay as opposed to WDW. The convenience is really worth the price. Have fun!

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

To each their own. With WDW you get the bubble* and more park options. Though, with DL it is a more intimate experience, is the original, and has more of a "punk rock" feel in the sense it lends itself to less of a need to plan ahead. Some prefer the versions of the rides there over the WDW ones.

For a shorter stay, I think DL could be better. If you have a longer stay, WDW is probably the way to go.

*The "bubble" experience has been diminished with the removal of the Magical Express, the high costs of on-resort hotels, and the unreliability/long waits for the bus transportation - in my opinion.

 

[Davey Jones II]

The on-site hotels at DLR are not worth it when you have so many great, close and more affordable options on Harbor. and other nearby streets.

 

[Wilcojoe]

The on-site hotels at DLR are not worth it when you have so many great, close and more affordable options on Harbor. and other nearby streets.

I think value is subjective based on each individual. I grew up in the Bay Area and loved staying at places likes the Carousel Inn on Harbour and dreamed of one day staying at the DLH. Now that I have kids and live in Texas we only go to WDW or DL every 3-5 years so when we go, we try and go all out. My biggest gripe with the on-site resorts is that DL treats the Monorail as an attraction and not a resort amenity. We would come more often if we could enjoy the benefit of going from Tomorrowland late in the evening to our room in just a matter of minutes. Rarely is that possible anymore. But when it happens it makes those moments so much better.

 

[DLgal]

I think value is subjective based on each individual. I grew up in the Bay Area and loved staying at places likes the Carousel Inn on Harbour and dreamed of one day staying at the DLH. Now that I have kids and live in Texas we only go to WDW or DL every 3-5 years so when we go, we try and go all out. My biggest gripe with the on-site resorts is that DL treats the Monorail as an attraction and not a resort amenity. We would come more often if we could enjoy the benefit of going from Tomorrowland late in the evening to our room in just a matter of minutes. Rarely is that possible anymore. But when it happens it makes those moments so much better.

The monorail station is too far away from all the Disney hotels to be used as transportation solely for them. I mean, when you are at DLH, you still have to go through security with everyone else coming in from the 2 hotels and Downtown Disney parking and walk to the station. It's not like you board the monorail on hotel grounds.

When staying at DLH, it offers a *slight* convenience into/out of Disneyland, but when staying at GCH, it's a longer walk to the monorail station than the front gates. It's not a benefit for GCH guests at all, really. GCH has the proximity factor to justify it's prices.

In addition the monorail now stops running at 7pm. Even before, it rarely ran after fireworks and was done for the night by 9pm, 10pm on nights with no fireworks.

 

[DLgal]

Thanks all. Still debating switching to Disneyland and staying at GC. It's actually about $200 a person less expensive for flights to LAX so we would just about make up the difference in cost between Port Orleans and GC.

I'm surprised you are still debating at this point. At the price being roughly equal between WDW/Port Orleans and DL/GCH, there is NO CONTEST here. Disneyland all the way!

 

[Wilcojoe]

The monorail station is too far away from all the Disney hotels to be used as transportation solely for them. I mean, when you are at DLH, you still have to go through security with everyone else coming in from the 2 hotels and Downtown Disney parking and walk to the station. It's not like you board the monorail on hotel grounds.

When staying at DLH, it offers a *slight* convenience into/out of Disneyland, but when staying at GCH, it's a longer walk to the monorail station than the front gates. It's not a benefit for GCH guests at all, really. GCH has the proximity factor to justify it's prices.

In addition the monorail now stops running at 7pm. Even before, it rarely ran after fireworks and was done for the night by 9pm, 10pm on nights with no fireworks.

The location hasn’t changed. I still find it extremely convenient when returning from the park to either hotel but especially DLH. If they would treat it as a true transportation system perk and only allow DL resort guests to board in the mornings it would make the value of staying onsite that much greater. But yeah having it close at 7pm is a joke.

 

[DLgal]

The location hasn’t changed. I still find it extremely convenient when returning from the park to either hotel but especially DLH. If they would treat it as a true transportation system perk and only allow DL resort guests to board in the mornings it would make the value of staying onsite that much greater. But yeah having it close at 7pm is a joke.

The truth is, though, there are not actually enough DLH resort guests to justify running it exclusively for them, even in the mornings.

As it stands, during the morning hours, they DO enforce "one way trip" only, so anyone who gets on in Tomorrowland is forced to get off in DtD. This allows more space for incoming park guests.

 

[Wilcojoe]

The truth is, though, there are not actually enough DLH resort guests to justify running it exclusively for them, even in the mornings.

As it stands, during the morning hours, they DO enforce "one way trip" only, so anyone who gets on in Tomorrowland is forced to get off in DtD. This allows more space for incoming park guests.

The bottom line is they have never utilized it as a perk for on site guests. It’s always been a way to shuttle non resort guests into DD to spend money during the afternoon. If they could focus on better operations in the morning and evening hours to cater to the guests, I can promise you all three hotel resort guests would utilize it and come back more often. My guess is that studies have shown that they will make more money in DD sales by forcing resort guests into walking thru DD at all hours.

 

[DLgal]

The bottom line is they have never utilized it as a perk for on site guests. It’s always been a way to shuttle non resort guests into DD to spend money during the afternoon. If they could focus on better operations in the morning and evening hours to cater to the guests, I can promise you all three hotel resort guests would utilize it and come back more often. My guess is that studies have shown that they will make more money in DD sales by forcing resort guests into walking thru DD at all hours.

Not totally accurate. The monorail, from day ONE, was always a Tomorrowland attraction. It was always a round trip. It was never designed nor intended solely as resort guest transportation.

 

[Wilcojoe]

Not totally accurate. The monorail, from day ONE, was always a Tomorrowland attraction. It was always a round trip. It was never designed nor intended solely as resort guest transportation.

That’s my whole point. It should be looked at today as a transportation perk and not just an attraction. Obviously it can be both, but I just wish they focused more on the convenience it can provide resort guests at all hours of the day.

 

[DLgal]

That’s my whole point. It should be looked at today as a transportation perk and not just an attraction. Obviously it can be both, but I just wish they focused more on the convenience it can provide resort guests at all hours of the day.

I think you are overestimating how popular this attraction currently is. It's never hard to get on the monorail. Ever since the parks have re-opened, it's usually either a walk on or you have to wait like 5 minutes, at most, for a train. The reservation system and synchronized park opening times has made far less people trying to get on the monorail in the mornings. And in the evenings it is even less popular. It's still a convenience for anyone who wants to use it.

I have ridden it dozens of times since it has come back online.

 

[Napoleon Dynamite]

I would go to DL and stay at an "offsite" hotel. Many are closer to DL gates than the walk through DTD anyway! We like the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance hotel or the Fairfield Inn next door to that, which is pretty basic, but good also. I've stayed at the Disneyland Hotel and LOVED it, but I still feel the "magic" staying offsite at DL. We went to WDW twice last year and are going to DL next week. MUCH prefer DL. LOVE how easy it is! No boats, monorails, buses. and LOVE the nostalgia of it!

 

[AC7179]

As far as the monorail goes, do they not let resort guests "cut the line" to get back to the DTD station midday like they used to?

 

[DLgal]

As far as the monorail goes, do they not let resort guests "cut the line" to get back to the DTD station midday like they used to?

No, because it's not necessary.

 

[mouschievous]

Our last day at WDW was Sunday. I think the only ride we had to wait with our Genie+ was Big Thunder. Everything else was a walk-on with the G+.

 

[AC7179]

No, because it's not necessary.

You mean it's not necessary because you never have to wait for more than one train?

 

[DLgal]

You mean it's not necessary because you never have to wait for more than one train?

Pretty much.