Was bored long before adulthood. Even my daughter by the time she was 10, would rather go to Knotts or better yet Magic Mountain. Probably been… 25+ years since I’ve been there (and oh, it’s an hour drive away)
Never been to Disneyland. Been to Disneyworld several times. Can’t say that I prefer it. Who knows, it might be nicer? I haven’t been to Disney since roughly 2005. There’s some rides that I’d like to go see… But I prefer rollercoasters, and they just don’t have that many.
I’ve been to World multiple times and Land once. I prefer land. Land isn’t as muggy/humid, doesn’t rain on you every afternoon. Land has all the best rides of the 4 world parks, in Two smaller parks. Its easier to get around, easier to see and do more. World’s hotels are nice but prepare to lose an arm and a leg to be on the monorail, otherwise you are riding a bus or driving from off property. Land has many hotels nearby in walking distance to the entrance. I was able to use points I earn from work travel to stay almost free in a SpringHill Suites and walk to the park. World requires you to plan your day out with a magic band 45 days in advance. Land lets you go get fast pass tickets on the same day putting a last minute trip on equal footing with a long planned adventure. Not to say I don’t like the World, its just after going to the Land, the only downside is that its on the other side of the country from me. Every thing else is a win… Until Star Wars arrives…
Daddy is from California so when we would go back to visit we went there. We took our kids to Florida and it pretty much rained the whole week. So, don’t remember my Cali days and all I remember from Florida is rain and six unhappy people (my parents went with us). We drove so hubby could golf on their course (didn’t happen), we stayed in a hotel where you could feed the animals (apparently they don’t like the rain either), a lot of the rides were shut down and it was prior to my Daddy’s knee operation so we knew we would be able to ride the boats to get places (which they shut down because the rain lifted them too high to safely board) which made the buses take longer because of capacity limits. Was a shame - however, we definitely got our moneys worth in the meal credits. Food was good.
Has no one mentioned how evil Disney/ABC corp is? Wait, am I still stuck in the year 2001? Is anticorporatism not a thing anymore? Too many questions to explain myself? I’m now too jaded and disenfranchised for that anyway. I live in SoCal but haven’t been to Disney in almost 20 years now. So pricey. How am I gonna spend my meh bucks? Speaking of bucks, I still have Disney dollars from the 80s. I bet they’re still valid, but with inflation and all, they’re worthless! I bet eBay has a thing for me.
@Barney It’s never too late. Travel can be scaled to capability. Anybody can cruise. If you are close enough to drive to Galveston or Corpus Christi you can catch a boat to the Caribbean for cheap.
I went to World immediately after it opened on Thanksgiving weekend. The place was beyond deserted back then (I lived in FL at the time). No ride was ever full. No wait for anything. Spent a half hour playing in some room where when you interrupted the light stream on different spots on the floor you could make different musical tones - was the only person in the room. Of course there are a lot more rides now, crowds… so now the experience would be really different. Then years later went to Land with a bunch of 9/10 year olds during spring break. Wasn’t bad and they were old enough and tall enough to ride everything. Lines were not too horrible. Not sure I have a preference though as I had fun at both.
I’ve never been to Disneyland. We do DisneyWorld. I prefer Epcot among all the Disney parks. We stay at the Fort Wilderness camp ground. Cheapest on-property option with all the associated perks. But you have to fluff your own pillows. There’s that.
I was last there in the 1990s for half a day; before that it was grade and highschool trips. I love the Land, but I love the one I remember. We paddled in Indian canoes, we sheltered in a fort against an attack, and rode rides that have been gone for years. I still have a few tickets tucked away in the memory box.
I think I would enjoy going back but I’m not sure. I’d rather try going there than going to Florida. But we have priced vacations to both and decided to go elsewhere each time. Just too expensive.
Been to both Disneyland and -world when I was younger on various family/school trips, pretty fun but very overwhelming if you’re not great with crowds & heat & noise. The original Star Tours was the best!
I went with my family, before we moved from California. Disneyland was only a few years old. I was five. At five, at a theme park, it was the one of the best childhood memories I have. 1955 rides
I prefer Universal Studios or Knott’s Berry Farm, as I’m a rollercoaster aficionado. The last time we went to a theme park was some years ago in Orlando. The Portofino Bay Hotel was finishing up construction and offering package deals to come and stay there before the official opening date. For $1,150 each we stayed in the hotel for 3 nights in two rooms, got three day early admission passes to Universal Studios, 3 restaurant dinners, and a 4 day cruise to the Bahamas. With the early admission passes we got to go in to Universal at 8 a.m. and ride everything in an almost empty Park until it officially opened at 10. Then all we had to do was show our room key to be admitted to the priority boarding line which never had very many people in it. It was one of my all-time best vacations. We parked the car and never saw it again because we used the shuttle boats to get around. We would enjoy the theme park in the morning and get back to the hotel just as the early afternoon rain started. Portofino Bay was built to look like an Italian villa. The lower floor of the gorgeous hotel is all little shops and cafes. The guys would nap all afternoon and I would sit at a sidewalk cafe with my book, drinking tea under an awning and watching the rain and the boats.
After over twenty years of having annual passes, we let ours lapse last year.
It’s just gotten too crowded. Back in the late 80s, we’d go up in the evening just to have dinner at Blue Bayou (I loved the chicken Florentine), then maybe ride the train around the park and come home (we live 100 miles away). Then they brought in new management (The paul pressler era) and changed the great menu.
Changed the stores to pretty much all carry the same merchandise. Got rid of the people mover for Rocket Rods (what the hell? people who drove in rush hour traffic lived this, they didn’t need it as an “attraction” at Disneyland).
Then they built DCA and the new hotel, the Grand Californian. That was our go to hotel for a while, but the morning they ran out of hot water was our last time staying there. Seriously, you pay over four hundred dollars a night for a room and no hot water?
Then they started letting people pay for annual passes by the month. Auto pay from credit cards or bank accounts. And the crowds came. And still haven’t stopped coming.
We’re not fans of the Star Wars franchise. So, the new stuff they’re doing doesn’t grab us at all. We have no interest in the parks anymore. Kind of sad, but, hey, we did it for over twenty years, had annual meets for fifteen, so it’s okay. Let the kids wait in line and eat generically crappy food.
Changed the stores to pretty much all carry the same merchandise.
I remember the diversity. Each shop had a little something different. The various lands had shops with goods that mostly reflected the theme. And it wasn’t all 100% Disney generated merch either.
Now it’s all Disney all the time. Visit one shop, you’ve pretty much seen everything they have to offer. It’s easier and less expensive to buy online or at the mall and not have to carry whatever through the park all day. With the frequent Disney Store sales and clearance merch readily available in most colors and sizes.
All grumbling aside, my ex and I took her 5yo daughter there to celebrate her birthday a few years ago. She was huge into the princess thing. I got her a Cinderella outfit and she had such a fantastic day. Several high points to the day, but her favorite was the Breakfast in the Garden hosted by several Disney characters. She got to meet Cinderella and get her picture taken with her.
@ruouttaurmind Oh, my gosh, we used to spend all sorts of money at the stores.
I have a Mickey umbrella I bought in a shop that was over by the Monorail Cafe. Open it up and Mickey ears pop up and his face is on the front. Way cool.
There was a store in Tomorrowland that had all sorts of fun stuff. I got the stuffed animals that you squeezed and they’d fart (like the one that Abby has on NCIS). Lots of just fun non-Disney branded things.
At the Madhatter I bought a small pendulum clock that had a cat come out of the window on the hour. I was bummed when it quit working.
I’m sure if we had younguns around it would be more enjoyable, it’s always been fun to see it through new eyes. But, alas, no children, just these old bones. lol.
I lived in Tokyo from the mid 80s to the mid 90s. Tokyo Disneyland was open 24 hours during New Years Eve so went once then.
It was incredibly crowded for this special event obviously but also bitterly cold. There was a little snow fall which was pretty magical!
It started clearing out around 4am and we rode a couple rides we had missed out on then took a three hour train ride back home. Something really fun to do but exhausting!
I’ve been three times, as a kid, in my early twenties with my fiancee and a free work paid trip. I DO NOT RECOMMEND GOING. I hated every one of them. Too expensive. Too crowded.
@medz World Showcase is dull (except for the food), but Future World is where it’s at. Come on! I’m still bummed that I haven’t been on Mission: Space yet, but at least I got to go on Test Track.
Been to World three times, never to Land. Enjoyed it, especially when following the path laid out in the “Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World” that shows you how to minimize waiting in lines. I also have a slight connection to Disney World: my uncle Paul Pickett was the county commissioner at the time it was built, and he was opposed to it: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1992-10-27/news/9210270574_1_pickett-walt-disney-rampant-growth
Never been to Disneyland, but I’ve been to WDW twice (once to Magic Kingdom and once to Epcot). I believe I was in elementary school both times.
We’re probably going to be going to WDW this coming May. My sister and her husband are planning on taking their 2 kids (oldest will be just shy of 3 years old and youngest 2 1/2 years old) at that time.
Worked there for years, still enjoy going.
“I’ve never been” isn’t an opinion though.
@awk 6th option.
/image ?
@RiotDemon I meant, that statement is factual, not an opinion. And that is a big-ass question mark.
@awk @RiotDemon That really is a big ass question mark (and I really like it) but I get what you’re saying.
@RiotDemon
The proportion between the curl and dot of the question mark is bothering me.
Was bored long before adulthood. Even my daughter by the time she was 10, would rather go to Knotts or better yet Magic Mountain. Probably been… 25+ years since I’ve been there (and oh, it’s an hour drive away)
Coasters, baby!
Never been to Disneyland. Been to Disneyworld several times. Can’t say that I prefer it. Who knows, it might be nicer? I haven’t been to Disney since roughly 2005. There’s some rides that I’d like to go see… But I prefer rollercoasters, and they just don’t have that many.
Awesome, but too expensive
I’ve been to World multiple times and Land once. I prefer land. Land isn’t as muggy/humid, doesn’t rain on you every afternoon. Land has all the best rides of the 4 world parks, in Two smaller parks. Its easier to get around, easier to see and do more. World’s hotels are nice but prepare to lose an arm and a leg to be on the monorail, otherwise you are riding a bus or driving from off property. Land has many hotels nearby in walking distance to the entrance. I was able to use points I earn from work travel to stay almost free in a SpringHill Suites and walk to the park. World requires you to plan your day out with a magic band 45 days in advance. Land lets you go get fast pass tickets on the same day putting a last minute trip on equal footing with a long planned adventure. Not to say I don’t like the World, its just after going to the Land, the only downside is that its on the other side of the country from me. Every thing else is a win… Until Star Wars arrives…
Daddy is from California so when we would go back to visit we went there. We took our kids to Florida and it pretty much rained the whole week. So, don’t remember my Cali days and all I remember from Florida is rain and six unhappy people (my parents went with us). We drove so hubby could golf on their course (didn’t happen), we stayed in a hotel where you could feed the animals (apparently they don’t like the rain either), a lot of the rides were shut down and it was prior to my Daddy’s knee operation so we knew we would be able to ride the boats to get places (which they shut down because the rain lifted them too high to safely board) which made the buses take longer because of capacity limits. Was a shame - however, we definitely got our moneys worth in the meal credits. Food was good.
@WTFsunshine
What time of year did you usually go? We have friends in Florida that tell us that winter is the dry season.
@DVDBZN I want to say it was sometime between April and May after 1st sons graduation.
Has no one mentioned how evil Disney/ABC corp is? Wait, am I still stuck in the year 2001? Is anticorporatism not a thing anymore? Too many questions to explain myself? I’m now too jaded and disenfranchised for that anyway. I live in SoCal but haven’t been to Disney in almost 20 years now. So pricey. How am I gonna spend my meh bucks? Speaking of bucks, I still have Disney dollars from the 80s. I bet they’re still valid, but with inflation and all, they’re worthless! I bet eBay has a thing for me.
@brenda we’ve all given up on being anti - corporate. It’s an impossible battle.
@brenda During their 50th anniversary celebration they had a special $50 Disney dollar.
We still have it. Somewhere.
Oh, and you might check to see if you can spend those disney dollars at a Disney Store near you.
I’ve never been to Disneyland. Never been to Disney World. I’ve never been anywhere.
I’ve been to Texas. As I said, I’ve never been anywhere.
@Barney You’ve got to let me show you the world!
@moondrake I think it’s a little too late for me to become a vagabond.
@moondrake Shouldn’t the proper Disney way of stating that be, “I can show you the world…”?
@Barney It’s never too late. Travel can be scaled to capability. Anybody can cruise. If you are close enough to drive to Galveston or Corpus Christi you can catch a boat to the Caribbean for cheap.
@Barney
Ahem. <cough>
Saw that.
I went about 20 years ago and loved it. Not nearly as crowded as Disney World.
It was ok once. Not great, but ok. Once. I don’t dislike it, but I don’t understand the hoopla
It was OK when I was 7 and they had tickets for the rides.
As an adult, I’ll pass.
I went to World immediately after it opened on Thanksgiving weekend. The place was beyond deserted back then (I lived in FL at the time). No ride was ever full. No wait for anything. Spent a half hour playing in some room where when you interrupted the light stream on different spots on the floor you could make different musical tones - was the only person in the room. Of course there are a lot more rides now, crowds… so now the experience would be really different. Then years later went to Land with a bunch of 9/10 year olds during spring break. Wasn’t bad and they were old enough and tall enough to ride everything. Lines were not too horrible. Not sure I have a preference though as I had fun at both.
The price is TOO DAMN HIGH!
I’ve never been to Disneyland. We do DisneyWorld. I prefer Epcot among all the Disney parks. We stay at the Fort Wilderness camp ground. Cheapest on-property option with all the associated perks. But you have to fluff your own pillows. There’s that.
@katbyter I’m sure you can hire a fluffer. Or maybe they’re more common in L.A. than Florida.
I was last there in the 1990s for half a day; before that it was grade and highschool trips. I love the Land, but I love the one I remember. We paddled in Indian canoes, we sheltered in a fort against an attack, and rode rides that have been gone for years. I still have a few tickets tucked away in the memory box.
Yesterland is where I really want to go…
I think I would enjoy going back but I’m not sure. I’d rather try going there than going to Florida. But we have priced vacations to both and decided to go elsewhere each time. Just too expensive.
Been to both Disneyland and -world when I was younger on various family/school trips, pretty fun but very overwhelming if you’re not great with crowds & heat & noise. The original Star Tours was the best!
I went with my family, before we moved from California. Disneyland was only a few years old. I was five. At five, at a theme park, it was the one of the best childhood memories I have. 1955 rides
I prefer Universal Studios or Knott’s Berry Farm, as I’m a rollercoaster aficionado. The last time we went to a theme park was some years ago in Orlando. The Portofino Bay Hotel was finishing up construction and offering package deals to come and stay there before the official opening date. For $1,150 each we stayed in the hotel for 3 nights in two rooms, got three day early admission passes to Universal Studios, 3 restaurant dinners, and a 4 day cruise to the Bahamas. With the early admission passes we got to go in to Universal at 8 a.m. and ride everything in an almost empty Park until it officially opened at 10. Then all we had to do was show our room key to be admitted to the priority boarding line which never had very many people in it. It was one of my all-time best vacations. We parked the car and never saw it again because we used the shuttle boats to get around. We would enjoy the theme park in the morning and get back to the hotel just as the early afternoon rain started. Portofino Bay was built to look like an Italian villa. The lower floor of the gorgeous hotel is all little shops and cafes. The guys would nap all afternoon and I would sit at a sidewalk cafe with my book, drinking tea under an awning and watching the rain and the boats.
After over twenty years of having annual passes, we let ours lapse last year.
It’s just gotten too crowded. Back in the late 80s, we’d go up in the evening just to have dinner at Blue Bayou (I loved the chicken Florentine), then maybe ride the train around the park and come home (we live 100 miles away). Then they brought in new management (The paul pressler era) and changed the great menu.
Changed the stores to pretty much all carry the same merchandise. Got rid of the people mover for Rocket Rods (what the hell? people who drove in rush hour traffic lived this, they didn’t need it as an “attraction” at Disneyland).
Then they built DCA and the new hotel, the Grand Californian. That was our go to hotel for a while, but the morning they ran out of hot water was our last time staying there. Seriously, you pay over four hundred dollars a night for a room and no hot water?
Then they started letting people pay for annual passes by the month. Auto pay from credit cards or bank accounts. And the crowds came. And still haven’t stopped coming.
We’re not fans of the Star Wars franchise. So, the new stuff they’re doing doesn’t grab us at all. We have no interest in the parks anymore. Kind of sad, but, hey, we did it for over twenty years, had annual meets for fifteen, so it’s okay. Let the kids wait in line and eat generically crappy food.
@lisaviolet
I remember the diversity. Each shop had a little something different. The various lands had shops with goods that mostly reflected the theme. And it wasn’t all 100% Disney generated merch either.
Now it’s all Disney all the time. Visit one shop, you’ve pretty much seen everything they have to offer. It’s easier and less expensive to buy online or at the mall and not have to carry whatever through the park all day. With the frequent Disney Store sales and clearance merch readily available in most colors and sizes.
All grumbling aside, my ex and I took her 5yo daughter there to celebrate her birthday a few years ago. She was huge into the princess thing. I got her a Cinderella outfit and she had such a fantastic day. Several high points to the day, but her favorite was the Breakfast in the Garden hosted by several Disney characters. She got to meet Cinderella and get her picture taken with her.
Good times.
@ruouttaurmind Oh, my gosh, we used to spend all sorts of money at the stores.
I have a Mickey umbrella I bought in a shop that was over by the Monorail Cafe. Open it up and Mickey ears pop up and his face is on the front. Way cool.
There was a store in Tomorrowland that had all sorts of fun stuff. I got the stuffed animals that you squeezed and they’d fart (like the one that Abby has on NCIS). Lots of just fun non-Disney branded things.
At the Madhatter I bought a small pendulum clock that had a cat come out of the window on the hour. I was bummed when it quit working.
I’m sure if we had younguns around it would be more enjoyable, it’s always been fun to see it through new eyes. But, alas, no children, just these old bones. lol.
I lived in Tokyo from the mid 80s to the mid 90s. Tokyo Disneyland was open 24 hours during New Years Eve so went once then.
It was incredibly crowded for this special event obviously but also bitterly cold. There was a little snow fall which was pretty magical!
It started clearing out around 4am and we rode a couple rides we had missed out on then took a three hour train ride back home. Something really fun to do but exhausting!
I’ve been three times, as a kid, in my early twenties with my fiancee and a free work paid trip. I DO NOT RECOMMEND GOING. I hated every one of them. Too expensive. Too crowded.
Been to Disney World and Disneyland as a kid. What struck me about Disneyland was that it felt a bit run down compared to Disney World.
Though what really makes Disney World better is that Disney World has EPCOT.
@sanspoint I was not impressed with epcot. Just a bunch of gift shops.
@medz World Showcase is dull (except for the food), but Future World is where it’s at. Come on! I’m still bummed that I haven’t been on Mission: Space yet, but at least I got to go on Test Track.
@sanspoint We rode the space one. Wife got motion sick. The other two in our pod didn’t hit the right buttons at the right time. It was pretty meh.
Been there, done that, had a good time.
Would do it again if someone else were paying like the last time.
Been to World three times, never to Land. Enjoyed it, especially when following the path laid out in the “Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World” that shows you how to minimize waiting in lines. I also have a slight connection to Disney World: my uncle Paul Pickett was the county commissioner at the time it was built, and he was opposed to it: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1992-10-27/news/9210270574_1_pickett-walt-disney-rampant-growth
I enjoy Epcot & MGM. Used to go twice a yr but haven’t been in a decade now. I REALLY like Universal Studios tho! I’ll take that over Disney any day.
Never been to Disneyland, but I’ve been to WDW twice (once to Magic Kingdom and once to Epcot). I believe I was in elementary school both times.
We’re probably going to be going to WDW this coming May. My sister and her husband are planning on taking their 2 kids (oldest will be just shy of 3 years old and youngest 2 1/2 years old) at that time.