Just back - first time in 18 years!

[sleepingbooty]

We just returned on the 28th from a 10 day trip to Southern California. While we were there, we spent 2 days at DL / DCA. Suprisingly, my impressions were a bit mixed. My parents are originally from SoCal, so I went to DL many times as a child, though not since I was about 16. Only in the last 5 years have I become a WDW fanatic. I fully expected to be really wowed by DLR. You know, I really wasn't.

First of all, it was so crowded! And this is supposed to be low season. We went on Wednesday the 24th, and again on Saturday. Wednesday was not too bad, but Saturday was insane. And it just seemed a bit claustrophobic on the DL side - the walkways are all much narrower than MK. Saturday night, on the way out, they did something that I thought made sense: As we exited Tomorrowland, they had turned the hub into a one-way only, going counterclockwise like a round-a-bout road. With the mad crush of people, it inched along painfully slowly, but letting people go whatever direction they wanted would have been sheer insanity. I've never seen them do that at MK (then again, I've never seen it that crowded at MK as we usually go during low season).

I don't want to make it sound that I didn't enjoy the parks, I really did. I was just disappointed that I didn't like it better than Florida. I guess the thing I enjoy most about our Disney vacations is the sense of complete immersion in a fantasy world that you get the minute you sign in at Magical Express and doesn't stop until you leave a week later. I love getting the dining plan and staying onsite, using Disney transportation, etc. I didn't get that at DLR. Its just different being a day visitor, I guess.

We stayed with my cousin in Huntington Beach, and he works for Disney, so we really lucked out. We got free admission and parking both days, plus 35% off on most of our food and souvenir purchases. On another day he even took us to a cast member store that's offsite nearby in an industrial area called "Company D." Everything there was 50-75% off or more. We got most of our souvenirs there. He was also able to get us on any of the rides that had long lines without waiting (yeah, I know, so how can I complain about the crowds, right?) We didn't have wait for Matterhorn, Indiana Jones, Haunted Mansion, Nemo Submarines, Toy Story Mania. If it was less than 20 minutes, we just went ahead and waited. Despite the big crowds, the lines weren't all that bad. It was fun to do my old favorites from childhood again, and introduce them to my girls, like Alice and Mr.Toad. We really were blown away by DL's version of Pirates: much longer and complex and MK. One thing I didn't care for was the Nightmare before Christmas overlay on HM. I guess you have to be a fan of that movie, which I'm not, to enjoy it. I missed the regular version of HM.

California Adventure didn't do a lot for me. There were some good rides, of course, but I guess the park just didn't feel cohesive. It'll be interesting to see what they dream up for the big overhaul. We did really like the new Toy Story ride, and of course Soarin - one of my faves at WDW as well. On our way out of DCA on Wednesday, I passed Lindsay Lohan and her girlfriend on their way in - like 6 inches from me at the turnstyles. Kinda cool. I thought it was surprising that they were going in the regular entrance, and they didn't have any "handlers" with them. My cousin said that one of his coworkers told him that Hannah Montana was in the park that day as well, but we didn't run into her. Now that would have been a real treat for my girls!

Overall, we had an enjoyable trip. It was wonderful to see family again, and I really liked San Diego (we were down there the first five days) and Laguna Beach (another cousin lives there). But let me tell you, I'm now really craving a complete WDW fix. Is it too early to start planning for September 2009?

[pdrlkr]

Thanks for the Report!

[dtootsie42]

Nice report, Thanks!

[NotaGeek]

Well, as the old saying goes ... you can't please everyone, but at least you had some fun, and you somehow got to jump the long queues thanks to your cousin ... although I really hate hearing that CMs do this kind of stuff. It's not really fair that you and your family got to jump in front of full paying guests, especially when you noted that Lindsey Lohan even went in like regular guests, but that's just MHO. Fast Passes are there for a reason.

Yes, the park is much smaller than WDW, which make it feel much more crowded than Magic Kingdom, and DCA is still young and about to get a face lift ... hopefully if you go back you will get a better feeling. If you are looking for nominal crowds try February, there's rarely anyone around then.

Thanks for posting.

[Tamerella]

There are perks to working for disney and trust me cast members earn them! I worked at Disneyland for a year and I was in a call center. Getting fast passes that don't expire are just part of the perks. How many people work for a company that tells you what color your hair can be and how long your nails can be? DCM's deal with stuff that I have never had to deal with at any other company. If you worked there you would use the same perks!

[NotaGeek]

There are perks to working for disney and trust me cast members earn them! I worked at Disneyland for a year and I was in a call center. Getting fast passes that don't expire are just part of the perks. How many people work for a company that tells you what color your hair can be and how long your nails can be? DCM's deal with stuff that I have never had to deal with at any other company. If you worked there you would use the same perks!

I have been to DLR with many, many friends that are CMs and none have ever used a no-expiration fast pass, nor have they ever moved our entire group ahead in the queue as a "perk" ... something tells me this is NOT a perk that Disney would condone considering the amount that people pay for their Resort Passports.

And, coincidentally, there are millions of companies that require their employees to keep a certain standard of grooming and dress, and they don't provide uniforms for their employees. The requirements to work for Disney aren't kept secret until after you get hired, I am fairly certain people know what they are getting into before they get their first paycheck. CMs work hard to keep the magic going, and they do receive an inexcusable amount of abuse from guests and management -- but working at Disney isn't a prison sentence, there are always other options for employment.

[Tamerella]

I wasn't saying that working for disney is a sentence. If I still lived in CA I would still work there. I was given fast passes by my boss. For sales or goals that were reached. You shouldn't make someone feel guilty for getting perks. I have never been moved up in line for just being a cast member. I have never heard of this but we did get fast passes that we would save up for when we signed people in to make the day more magical for my guests. My point was that Disney CM's are held to alot higher of a standard then most employers would ask and that it shouldn't be frowned upon for them to get perks. Makes your job that much better. I loved working for disney and would go back in a heart beat.

[goofy for pluto]

Sleeping Booty I agree with some of your thoughts of Dineyland Magic kingdom.
My view is that even though some of the rides are better at Disneyland the overall vacation is much better at WDW.

[sleepingbooty]

All in all, we did have a very good time - I certainly was "pleased" (Notageek, you mentioned not being able to please everyone, I didn't mean to come off that way) with our visit. My disappointment was just that it didn't bring back that magical feeling of visiting there in my youth. I guess I've just gotten too used to WDW and missed it. And as far as being let to the front of the line, I did feel a bit guilty. But if a cast member is going to give you a free fastpass (that's essentially how it worked) - you take it!

[flapbreaker]

Thanks for that report. I am very curious to see what I think about Disneyland. It's been years since I've been. I have however been to WDW twice in the last 9 years. The funny thing is, I actually was sort of dissapointed with the MK at WDW compared to my memories of Disneyland. I just felt that the "charm" wasn't there. It could all be that our memories are not reality so again, I'll be very interested to see what I think on my next disneyland visit this april. I hope it's not too crowded. I'm not sure what to expect in that regard.

[DryCreek]

I was thinking that DL would be our next "Magical Vacation". I posted a thread in DL Planning. one good thing about it is that we can get by with 5 days and 4 nights instead of the minimum of 7 at WDW.
The cost of flights are almost identical from Waco!