There is a great tour “walk in Walt’s footsteps.” It is on my Disney bucket list. (Disneyland Walk in Walt's Footsteps Tour Review - YouTube) There is also a World of Color dessert party and a Fantasmic dinner option. I have been to Disneyland many times, but never really did any of the extras. We were supposed to take our first trip to WDW, but unfortunately life got in the way. We cancelled, but scheduled a DLR trip to console me. As a result, we are doing some extras, such as staying at Disneyland Hotel, Fantasmic dinner package at Blue Bayou, etc. I will tell you that the planning is far less extensive at DLR and you can often get same day reservations at most restaurants (unless it is super busy). I know there are die hard WDW fans and die hard DLR fans, but I think both are special and offer something that other does not. If you go, I highly recommend you get MaxPass. So worth the $10 per person, per day investment. They are also starting a Disneyland after Dark series. I am intrigued to see what that is and what it will offer you.
Never been to WDW but been to DL a bunch. I am planning a trip to WDW and seems like it’s a lot more planning involved. And dining seems to be a big thing at WDW . One thing I can tell you is that you don’t really have to stay onsite. So many cheaper options and you can walk. If you do plan on going one adr that you’ll want to grab is blue bayou( if your interested). I still haven’t been but I know it’s a real popular one. I couldn’t get a res so I’m gonna shoot for a less busier time. Hopping is soo easy too! Parks are walkable from one to the other.
Rides at DL that WDW doesn’t have:
Indiana Jones (a much better version of the Disosaur ride at AK)
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
Story book canal boats
Circus Train
A better version of Buzz Lightyear
A smoother version of Space Mtn.
Columbia sailing ship
Davey Crockett canoes
California Screaming
Silly Symphony Swings
Golden Zypher
Jumping Jellyfish
Mickey and the magical map show
Cars Land
Bugs Land
Pirates, Space Mtn and BTMRR are all better at DL.
The Haunted Mansion Nightmare Before Christmas overlay was delightful.
In my opinion DL has a charm about it that WDW just doesn’t have. Walt’s apartment!
Food:
The quick service food at DL is so much better than WDW. And served on real plates instead of paper. It has to be good or the locals wouldn’t eat there.
The whole New Orleans Square area is just delightful. Sitting there eating beignets and listening to jazz bands play is just relaxing and a lot of fun.
Be careful though. You may fall in love with DL as we have. This is our 4th trip there in 3 years. Not sure when I can talk DW into going back to WDW.
Here is some food for thought regarding Fantasmic dinning. We did the Blue Bayou package a couple of trips ago. The food is great. The view is wonderful. The pavement you sit on is hard on your rear end. You will get wet.
We did River Belle Terrace this time. The food was less spectacular but, good. The view was great. The chairs, table and charging station and patio heaters were a huge plus. And it was cheaper than Blue Bayou.
Just my $0.02 worth.
This is all very interesting and helpful.
My thinking is this . . . When my dog dies, some years from now, I will be overwhelmed with grief. The idea is to jump on a plane and go straight to a Disney resort somewhere. I have two friends who I’d like to take with me because they’ve had awful lives and I want to see the look on their faces.
A WDW trip can easily get out of hand in terms of planning and expense. It seems like a DLR trip can be managed much more easily.
But no FOP.
I need to look into Universal.
(If you’re wondering why I’m being so morbid it’s because I can’t go away on holiday while my dog is alive because I won’t leave him in kennels and it’s very hard to find people to look after him. The two people I want to take with me are the people who looked after him when I went to WDW this summer. They’re about the only people who could look after him, and clearly I can’t take them with me and have them look after my dog at the same time.)
I really loved Soarin’ at Epcot. I understand the film is fairly new. Do they have the new version at DLR?
Yes they do. Soarin Around the World.
That’s great! Score 1 for DLR.
we have carsland!! its awesome. the whole land is themed just like the movie. And although guardians of the galaxy is just a rethemed tower of terror, the new ride is so amazing!! and also if you like harry potter then you could do one day at universal if you picked the off season
So Universal LA has Harry Potter, too? That’s good to know.
After several trips we converted our veterinarian and his family into Disney geeks. They take great care of our dogs and expect me to text Disney pictures to them. Especially food porn!
they do , from what i can gather though its a smaller version. we have the forbidden journey and a small coaster called flight of the hippgrath (sp) haha i looked it up, its call hippogrif i guess
To be honest I didn’t enjoy either of the Harry Potter rides at USF, but I do enjoy the castle and the whole atmosphere. Pity there’s no Hogwart’s Express or Diagon Alley. I’m more excited about HP for one of the friends I want to take, as he’ll really enjoy it.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout is just outstanding. Not just a retheming of and old ride. Its my new favorite ride. I think I rode it 6 times this week.
I wasn’t that crazy about ToT.
I love the ride!! but it is the old tower, that’s all i was saying… I was disappointed at first when i found out the tower was leaving, then i rode it and fell in love. actually alot more fun than the tower
I think a lot of people were up in arms about ToT changing to Guardians. I also think about 99.9% of those people like it better as Guardians. Disney has turned my DD15 and I into a huge Marvel nerds and I can’t wait to see a much bigger Marvel presence in DCA in the coming years.
DL is way easier to plan AND has better weather. Now, the future remains to see how Star Wars Land is going to change DLR forever. I think it will have a much bigger impact there than at WDW but we shall see.
Am following as we want to go to DL at some point. just have to decide when. Might have to do it before Star Wars Land.
I would wait until they complete paradise pier (this summer I believe), but I agree, go before Star Wars opens up. We have had really good luck with the week after thanksgiving. It is really beautiful that time of year. Many have also suggested the week after Labor Day. We have also done that, but found it to be a bit warm for us.