Originally Posted By nbodyhome The guy from Australia should have done a little research. If I'm traveling somewhere new, I take a lot of time studying what there is to see, as well as local customs, hotels, etc. I generally have a very good feel for a country/city before I take the trip. I expect he had a lengthy vacation. I've met people from Australia who take a few weeks and head all over the US. Maybe a few days in FL, a few in NYC, California, etc. He should have looked into how big WDW was. That isn't anyone elses fault, 5 minutes on the internet could have given him that information. If I ever go to Australia, I would definitely put a ton of time into researching the trip, because I don't know much about the country. If I go to France or England now, I can pretty much just pack up and go.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo It's funny, I've met a load of Brits who think wdw can be done in a day. They have nothing to compare it to unless they have been to dlp.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Yep - because many never make it to DL or DLP ;-p FWIW - I am a HUGE Epcot fan (probably my 2nd or 3rd fav Disney park) and I love DAK.
Originally Posted By nbodyhome >> Yep - because many never make it to DL or DLP ;-p << Everyone I'm talking about has been to both! I think DLP is a great park (I feel completely the opposite about the Studios). DLP is a nice day trip from my favorite city. Brits I talk to or see posting seem to not really like Paris very much. Maybe that is why they aren't as fond of DLP, I don't know.
Originally Posted By Liberty Belle >>He should have looked into how big WDW was. That isn't anyone elses fault, 5 minutes on the internet could have given him that information.<< When we went for the first time we went for 13 nights because we'd heard how large it was. However, we'd had the advantage of going to Disneyland and could compare it to that, where we always spend at least 5 days anyway, so knew we'd need a long time. I think Dave's point about not having anything to compare it to is a good one. A lot of people I know are shocked when I go to Disneyland for more than a day because they think of it as a normal theme park (the ones here are definitely one-dayers). Also, the major factor for him was they were doing a round-the-world trip ending with 2 months in the US, where his son was living at the time. WDW was more of a decision made while they were over there than the reason for the trip. I wasn't trying to say it was anyone else's fault though?
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>>> Yep - because many never make it to DL or DLP ;-p << Everyone I'm talking about has been to both! I think DLP is a great park (I feel completely the opposite about the Studios). DLP is a nice day trip from my favorite city. Brits I talk to or see posting seem to not really like Paris very much. Maybe that is why they aren't as fond of DLP, I don't know.<<< Interesting, I have found some Brits fall in love with WDW because it is sooo different too - I mean the spanish moss, the weather, the fireworks etc. And for many, Orlando is the only part of the US they visit. So sad. I will admit bias, if I had never been to DL all my young years growing up, and if I didn't speak French, then maybe I would feel different. I think the fact I speak 4 European languages really adds to my enjoyment factor of DLP. Also being a Disney nerd helps too. What doesn't help is I do not like Florida's climate and the MK really bums me out. I also prefer a day at WDSP to a day at DHS.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo and for the record, I am not a big fan of Paris either, one of my least favorite cities.
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 The older my bones & joints get, the more I appreciate Florida's heat, the humidity only bothers me a little. The warm weather doesn't spend enough time in New England for me. I wish I could convince my husband to move to Florida.
Originally Posted By nbodyhome ^^ What don't you like about Paris? As far as the Studios here vs. the Studios at DLP - I'm not a big fan of either. Cinemagique and Animagique are cute, but I don't need to see them again. I still love our Great Movie Ride, TOT, RnR Coaster...that is about it. I find neither park remarkable otherwise.
Originally Posted By nbodyhome >> Interesting, I have found some Brits fall in love with WDW because it is sooo different too - I mean the spanish moss, the weather, the fireworks etc. And for many, Orlando is the only part of the US they visit. So sad. << If I lived overseas, I don't think I'd come to the US just to spend 3 weeks in Orlando. If I go elsewhere, I tend to spend 3 - 5 days per area (like last trip, 4 days London, 5 days Paris). In 9/2006, there was Mont St. Michel and Edinburgh also thrown in the mix for 3 days each. I LOVE Mont St. Michel. When I go to California, I sometimes like to see San Diego, or drive over to Vegas - there is so much more to see than Disneyland.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Filthy, full of not so great people, overrated, there are nicer cities in France that tourists to the country never see, major racial strife and poverty in the city, filthy...oh, and did I say it's filthy? I love the Louvre, and that is about the only reason to go for me. All the other attractions can be found in nicer cities (except the Eiffel Tower), e.g. the Notre Dame in Reims is nicer than Paris in my opinion.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo "there is so much more to see than Disneyland." Agreed. But to many Brits, the only places on their radar tend to be New York, WDW and San Francsico, almost in that order.
Originally Posted By nbodyhome San Francisco is very nice, I went there for the first time last year. Paris definitely isn't the cleanest of all cities, but not nearly as dirty as some I've been (and some areas of the city are very clean as well). My favorite museums are the Rodin and D'Orsay, and I love Berthillon ice cream. And the Seine. I love Paris! I don't like being asked for money, but I enjoy the street musicians and keep some change on hand for them. The first time I went to Paris, I had a difficult time, I'm not good with confrontation. But I learned for the next trip, which was - 3 trips ago! The area I like to stay in Paris isn't in the mid-city, and is right off a LARGE, beautiful park. I didn't realize that so many Parisians went out running. I do like London very much, England has the BEST grocery stores!! I don't do pubs, I crawl through all of your groceries. I just wish I could get to a Costco, but they seem to be off the beaten track.
Originally Posted By Bob Paris I just don't get why American Disney fans on a DISNEY SITE, many of whom are AP holders and get to go to DL/WDW several times per year DO NOT UNDERSTAND when their overseas counterparts express a desire to visit the US for the main/sole purpose of visiting A FRIKKIN DISNEY PARK. I swear some of you act toward US like the mundanes who would criticize YOU for dropping into DL for an icne cream after work on a Tuesday afternoon. As I said elsewhere on this site, familiarity really breeds contempt. An inability to see things from others' points of view doesn't help either. You see, for ME, the US was my DREAM as a kid(it isn't anymore.....thanks Dubya, now more like my nightmare, but that's OT). Just BEING in the US, ANYWHERE in the US was something I could not believe was happening to me. I was like some third world orphan staring in disbelief at billboards that advertised products I had only heard of in sitcoms and movies. Driving in Florida was a thrill beyond belief. The Disney parks were holy meccas to me that, well, if you don't understand, what the hell are you doing here? I have rather little desire to see Paris but I would love one day to see DLP. The people who would rag on me for such act as if I am spending their damned money to do so. Tell ya what? If so many of you care so much i am going to miss out, you pay for me to go to Europe and see the wonders. I'll do all that AND DLP and we can call it quits, m'kay?
Originally Posted By Bob Paris icne cream should be of course ICE cream. FRAKKIN WIRELESS KEYBOARD!!!!
Originally Posted By nbodyhome I wouldn't go to WDW for ice cream, I can get a 1/2 gallon of Breyers at Wal Mart for the same price. I also think that if you have vacation dollars, they should be spent as you see fit. Just because I would be hard-pressed to spend 3 weeks in one place doesn't mean other's don't. I have been criticized for wanting to go to Paris too much, for having a favorite restaurant in Paris (where I had 5 meals last time, instead of trying different places), for going to Disney too much, etc. It isn't really a big deal to me. On the flip side, I knew a couple who toured the East coast for 1 week (they were from the Czech Republic). They took a car from the Tampa area and went to NYC, Washington DC, Niagara Falls, some bridge in West Virginia, and after that - which took about 3 days - went to Key West and back for a day trip. The rental car company wasn't very pleased either.
Originally Posted By Bob Paris LOL!!!! I think that's very funny! They were probably just so excited when they drove to the end of a street and there weren't armed guards and checkpoints so they kept driving.
Originally Posted By nbodyhome ^^ Everyone in the family told them that they'd not be able to see everything in a week. Instead, 3 days later they were back with photos of all the main sights! Only one of them drove, and he didn't sleep much (they'd stop at rest areas for a couple of hours). The rental car company tried to go back on the "unlimited mileage" they had. I somehow doubt they expected to have a car come back after 4 or 5 days with upwards of 5k on it.
