Although I am not a huge fan of the Halloween/Christmas overlay at DLR’s HM, I do think it is kind of a novelty and will ride it at least once each visit. I also much prefer DLR HM over WDW. The only things that I like better at WDW is that fact that you get an on ride pic and the interactive queue. DLR you get to ride down on an actual elevator, it is not just an illusion (I have had to ride back up on the elevator when my sister had an injured foot) and the “house” just feels right and like @vcka said, you are invited in through the front door, “if your dare! Hahahahahaha!”
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I meant AK as a whole, I feel I get most of that experience in DL. In response to Tall asking if DLR has any of the AK feel.
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I agree, especially at Halloween with the Monsters after Dark overlay!
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Interesting, I think you may be the first person I have ever heard say they get bored at DL/DCA. Does your son not like GOTG, Incredicoaster, Soarin?
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I think this is a very long stage for my family. 
Although Marvel Island has its place at UOR, that’s a Marvel from an older era and the comic books vs the Marvel Cinematic Universe era. It would be nice to get some more modern Marvel action at DL instead of paying wayyy more than I’d want to for a Marvel Day at Sea Disney Cruise on the Magic (if that is ever a thing again).
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Even if WDW wins this round, I hope you make it to DLR at least once. It is tiny but mighty!
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Us too.
Yes to this as well!
Yep
We seem to have all the same favorites.
Grilled cheese and tomato soup?
We should go together, we would always agree on where to eat!
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I think I know the basics of the 3 DL resorts and how they compare to WDW resorts, but what about the convenience, cost, overall pros and cons of staying nearby offsite vs that of WDW. I have 5 people. Is there a sweet spot for offsite where I’m saving a good amount of money and have some space but not getting too far away that the inconvenience is not worth it to get to the parks 3-4 days?
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Staying anywhere on Harbor Blvd. main gate is close enough to rival Disney (other than GCH) and you can save LOTS of money. Personally I’d go for the Fairfield Inn, because I like Marriott, but there are cheaper places that are the same distance or just a little further.
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I agree with all of your assessments and would like to add that I prefer the side by side seat of DLR Space Mt. vs the bobsled seating at WDW. WDW’s version feels more comparable to the “Batterhorn” than DLR’s Space Mt. Also IASW at Christmas with the overlay… that is a transcendent experience for me!
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I think chances are good that we’ll be there at the same time one of these days! We probably already have been and just didn’t know it. 
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We are a unique bunch.
All three of us get motion sickness, my husband and son tying for worst. I can do exactly one ride of all three you mentioned, with breaks in between and no liquids.
On top of that, I have…something…about falling rides. I know the physics. I know all the safety precautions and I know how to make whoever is sitting next to me (stranger or family) as a pillow in case it hits the fan.
I white knuckle the entire GotG attraction. I only forced myself on it because I LOVE the theming of ToT SOOOOOO MUCH! That being said, the last two times I went on it, my bonus kid swore he’d never go on it with me again because I screamed so much and so loud (I thought it was only one drop). And the second time when the doors opened to be let off, the cast members came directly to me and asked if I was OK and if I needed a minute to collect myself. No clue why unless the in-attraction video was just THAT funny…
I am seriously considering medical nausea bands for our next trip. We also admittedly don’t like waits so we don’t ride unless its a 10 minute wait or less or we have FP’s. We are our own worst enemy when it comes to theme parks. And yet we keep going back for more. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, especially when it comes to WDW, I’m still spending hours on the bench, but outside of Test Track and Spash instead of Tire Swings and Splash. He hasn’t found anything at Ak he likes, but he will go on Rockin Rollar Coaster 3-ish times before he turns green.
Also, Universal in Orlando is so much easier to get to and better than the one on Cali (that my 12 year old self remembers). Just another thought to add to the vs pile. I love the San Diego zoo and the Lego Land in CA but they just are so far and I don’t do LA traffic. Ever. They do have Knott’s which I LOVE during winter too. Ugh this is making my head hurt.
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We stayed in a rental house in Garden Grove. Can’t help with hotels.
I’m so infatuated with the MCU.
It’s embarrassing.
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“we” don’t like waits. I remember back when DCA was still a parking lot and to get on any of the three mountains (before Splash was a blip on the radar) you were looking at 60-120 minute wait. No buts no coconuts. (No idea what that even has to do with any of this but whatevs…) and more importantly…NO PHONES for distraction. you had to rely on good old fashioned family or strangers for entertainment in that hot space mountain rooftop queue.
I obviously have shown I’ll wait all day for something. I just know that the champagne in Chefs de France is SO going to be worth all the time I spent on my Pooh sized rear end the last few years.
This!
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For me everything that is missing from DLR is in AK. No FOP, no EE, no Pandora ambiance, no FotLK or Nemo. MK, Epcot (sans WS) and DHS are well represented enough by local alternatives.
AK is my favorite WDW park, but Disneyland still wins overall.
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I am answering my page! Thank you for the heads up @qwerty6. I personally think that the food at DLR is waaaaay better than WDW. This includes TS, but most especially QS. WDW beats DLR in theming though.
I should clarify that I am not foodie by any means and don’t frequent the really fancy restaurants at either location. In fact one of my favorites is the Plaza Inn and I always get their fried chicken. It is cafeteria style. The portions are huge (pro tip: order the fried chicken dinner plate and then add additional pieces of fried chicken ala carte and share with 2-3 people depending on your appetite).
There are tons of great restaurants at both the parks (aside from my favorite, I also love Jolly Holiday, Carnation Cafe, Cafe Orleans, French Market, and DH loves Rancho Del Zocalo at DL. At DCA, we love Flo’s V-8 for breakfast, Storytellers Cafe and formerly White Water Snacks, now Craftman’s Grill in GCH). You are not just limited to the Park’s dining options since DTD is attached to the parks. You can easily walk from both parks or take the monorail from DL to the far end of DTD and enjoy all the dining they have to offer.
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Way back in 2012 we visited WDW for the first time and had so much fun. I came back to work raving about WDW. Two of my coworkers are avid DLR fans and they kept asking me if it was “better” than WDW. I will say that DLR is my fave just … well because. But that doesn’t mean I don’t love WDW too. I kept telling them it’s just different but still a lot of fun. You just have to plan more days so you can do everything.
Well, both of these coworkers happened to go to WDW within a couple of years of my trip. They both hated it! Or at least didn’t love it like we did. I think they were just doing it wrong.
A) They only went to MK. And one of them might have gone to AK for one day. If you only compare MK to DLR, it’s going to come up short. In fact, it’s probably my least favorite of the 4 WDW parks. Mostly because it is the most like DL but it’s not DL. That is mind bending if you’re really used to DLR. I appreciate MK, but I most like the parks at WDW that give me things I can’t get in California. HS is a weird little park, but it has so much in it that we love! (Or used to love - RNRC, what happened? Did I get old or did you just get way more rough and tumble?) AK is probably my favorite and EE is my favorite coaster even above the Incredicoaster which I also really enjoy. And Epcot is a totally different experience but we love that too!
and
B) They went in months that are considered super hot by Washington standards - aka May. We went in January and it was bliss! Warm but not hot. Only rained on us once. Highly recommend.
In short, I recommend them all. 
As a matter of fact, I am taking my non-Disney loving friend to Florida for our annual birthdays trip in late October. I’m going to make her like it if it kills me!
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I’ve always felt like DLR is a trip while WDW is a vacation.
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