Worth it?

[mitchsfan]

I live in Philadelphia with my darling wife and 3 year old son. My wife and I love to vacation in Walt Disney World. We have been married for 5 years and vacationed there 4 times. Jr. has been to WDW 2 x so far.

People in Philly go to the Jersey shore for vacation but I don't get it. I would rather save for a few extra months and go to Disney.

My question: Kind of hinted that I would like to go to California and see DL. (Part of my hidden agenda would be to bang out some of the ballparks too -LA, ANAHEIM and SD)

The kicker is: My wife is not crazy about flying. 6 hours may kill her !!

If you went to both WDW and DL is DL much different than WDW? Or is it practically the same trip? Do you think it is worth it?

I know that WDW has Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and whatever they are calling MGM now and DL has California Adventure. For the most though, is it the same park, same concept, same trip.

I don't want to spend all the money and then hear - we could have just went to Florida.

[Melanie]

I've been to both resorts many times. Definitely not the same trip, IMO. For a true Disney enthusiast, a trip to Disneyland (the original park) is a treat. Plus, most rides you find in both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom are superior at Disneyland.

And while I see the comparison of Hollywood Studios and California Adventure, I definitely don't think of them as the same park. California Adventure has a lot of unique attractions, and for all the bad press it gets, I really enjoy it.

The weather in California is so much better than Florida, especially in summer. Why sweat in the humid Florida heat when you can enjoy the pleasant SoCal temps?

And your desire to visit the local ballparks I can certainly understand. The Angels stadium (whatever the heck they are calling it now) is right down the street from the resort, and with some planning the others are within reach. That sounds like so much fun!

Don't get me wrong, I love WDW and am greatly anticipating our return there, but my advice to you is - why not visit Disneyland Resort? It's definitely not the same trip!

And from a fellow terrible flyer, Xanax works wonders!

[2Epcot]

I would agree with Mel. I think everyone should visit each park at least once. I say the same thing to Disneyland regulars who have never been to WDW. Every Disney park is unique, but they all have the same familar Disney magic ... That is why we like them. If part of the reason for your trip would be catching some baseball games, then Disneyland gives you plenty of opportunity. Since the two parks are close together, and the overall resort size is smaller then the WDW, you won't need as many days to visit the parks, but the enjoyment should be just the same.