Originally Posted By BellesLibrarian After 3 1/2 years of travelling cross country, 3 annual passes and 8 trips, each a minimum of a week, Disney World has found a way to keep us on the East Coast. The buy 4 days, get 3 free is too good a deal to pass up. So my question to all of you who have been to both parks, what MUST we see at Disney World? What can we skip since it is pretty much the same in each park? Thanks, as always, for your advice.
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb You will probably be disappointed in Pirates at WDW, it's not as good and much shorter. Definitely see Mickey's Philharmagic.
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb Space is better at DLR, Splash is better at WDW, Big Thunder is slightly different but equally fun at both.Haunted Mansion is a toss up.
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb This is all Disneyland vs Magic Kingdom. Hall of Presidents is unique to WDW's Magic Kingdom and worth a look.
Originally Posted By BellesLibrarian Thanks, Deb. I figured we would skip Soarin', since it is the same one as at DCA. How do the Toy Story rides compare? We'll miss New Orleans Square. But it will be fun to visit our Florida friends.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones With all the traveling you appear to do, have you considered visiting Tokyo DisneySea? It really sets the bar when it comes to Disney Imagineering. It's very much a destination in and of itself, and while you're there take in some Japanese culture. I've always found it odd that when people take week-long trips to Disneyland or Disney World, why they don't visit the international parks. DisneySea is on the top of the list in my opinion, but Paris is worth visiting as well for a lavish take on the Magic Kingdom concept.
Originally Posted By BellesLibrarian You ask a great question, SpokkerJones. Until recently we've been waiting for the dollar to improve. My husband and I have been to EuroDisney (still haven't gotten used to its not-so-new-anymore name). Tokyo and Hong Kong would be fantastic. The flights and exchange rates overwhelm me. DisneyLand is a nice cozy vacation spot.
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains <<I've always found it odd that when people take week-long trips to Disneyland or Disney World, why they don't visit the international parks. DisneySea is on the top of the list in my opinion, but Paris is worth visiting as well for a lavish take on the Magic Kingdom concept.>> Well for me it would be airfare for 6 people - Passports for 6 people - long plane ride... While the parks may not live up to yours and some others opinions some people can't afford international travel and until then can be satisfied with a trip to a US park. I personally haven't been to WDW because I live in N.Cal trips to DL are easy and enjoyable...and since my DH isn't a fan I am not interested in leaving the country alone with our 4 children to visit a disney property... I am planning a trip to WDW - but because of the constant bashing of people who seem to like the parks - I have chosen not to list my trip or even look in those threads anymore for advise or help planning it. It's sad that instead of just pointing out some of the good points when people ask for them... some have gotten put down for planning a trip there, buying the hard ticket parties, or even being excited about going.
Originally Posted By barboy ///With all the traveling you appear to do, have you considered visiting Tokyo DisneySea?/// It amazes me that so many serious Disney park fans refuse to go to the ultimate park in the world, Disney Sea. Some of these cats talk about how they can't afford a trip to Japan but yet they stay 10 nights at the Poly and tap EPCOT's top eats and resort seafoods and steaks. If only they knew what we know SpokkerJ they would find a way to get there.
Originally Posted By fkurucz <<It amazes me that so many serious Disney park fans refuse to go to the ultimate park in the world, Disney Sea. >> I'ld be more than happy to go if you are willing to pick up the tab.
Originally Posted By barboy LOL! Since this is the Dl section maybe I should have brought up those who spend big bucks at Grand Cali and Napa Rose instead.
Originally Posted By barboy I aready picked up the tab for someone, not just in Tokyo but in Paris and Hong Kong too.....and the worst part is she finds all things Disney boring.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones "While the parks may not live up to yours and some others opinions some people can't afford international travel and until then can be satisfied with a trip to a US park." No, not everyone can, and I understand that. I only mentioned it here because this poster mentioned they have taken 8 trips at a minimum of one week a piece. Exchange rates aside, I would think exchanging even half of those trips for one to DisneySea would be incredibly worth it.
Originally Posted By BellesLibrarian We do not stay at the Grand or the Poly. In California we stay at the HoJos with the Entertainment card rate, in Florida we stay at either the All-Star or upgrade to Caribbean Beach. At this point in my life, I wouldn't want to trade volume for something that might be better. The flight alone (for three) would be more than the cost of our last vacation. For now I'll stick with the known. I have a six year old daughter who adores the character. For us going to DL is similar to others renting a beach house on Cape Cod. We scope out the cheapest airfares, use the Entertainment rate, buy groceries for breakfast and lunch, have dinner at Mimi's, and use our Deluxe annual pass by booking trips just before the pass expires then waiting at least six months to buy a new one. We find a trip to DisneyLand to be relaxing. We are happy if we ride each of our favorite rides a couple of times in a week (instead of cramming it all into a couple of days), talk to CMs, listen to the music, people watch, and spend time with the characters. We even avoid the LA traffic. Maybe someday when she is older and we can tie it in with more sightseeing in Asia then we'll make the trek across the globe. For now the debate is drive (20 hours) vs. fly (2 1/2 hours) to Florida.
Originally Posted By danyoung >It amazes me that so many serious Disney park fans refuse to go to the ultimate park in the world, Disney Sea.< I think for many people it's more a matter of comfort level with international travel. I've done just enough of it to know what I'm in for. And as much as I'd like to see TDS, I'm just not quite ready to take on another country. As BL said above, I'll stick with the known.
Originally Posted By fkurucz <<I aready picked up the tab for someone, not just in Tokyo but in Paris and Hong Kong too.....and the worst part is she finds all things Disney boring.>> I promise to be much more appreciative and grateful
Originally Posted By barboy //I promise to be much more appreciative and grateful // Are you a natural female(as opposed to gender changed), cute, 'available' and between 28-44? Anything short of a 'no' to those immediate and necessary 4 criterion then I'm afraid it can't be done.
Originally Posted By barboy I hear ya Belles--- you like most don't have the cash to burn. And I'll be straight up here: the only financial impediment for many would be domestic Disney week+ vacationers is the international airfare which lately is brutal.(My first trip in '04 I paid $450 to get to Tokyo and back from San Fran.; now it's more or less double). One can find cheaper hotels and eats in Tokyo to fit tight budgets; and park admission is actually cheaper than US Disney parks! Even park souvenirs seem to be cheaper than US parks.
Originally Posted By barboy ///I've done just enough of it(international travel) to know what I'm in for. And as much as I'd like to see TDS, I'm just not quite ready to take on another country./// I'm curious as to which countries you've seen that would make you more apprehensive and perhaps gunshy to see more foreign places. The places I will not go to would be the entire Islamic world(except Bali, Indonesia), North Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Columbia and African spots like Congo. I could put in anywhere else pretty easily.
