Most Disney-like non-Disney trip?

Not sure if this is the right spot for this, but here goes. We've all discussed here how other trips we've taken just don't compare to Disney in terms of experience, service and value. On the flip side, what's the most Disney-like non-Disney trip you've taken? Is there any place you've gone and thought it was a good enough experience to be rated up there with a Disney trip?

The only place we've gone where I've had this feeling (that I can think of at the moment) was a water park hotel in Michigan called Splash Universe. All of the employees were smiling and friendly. When one front desk employee noticed us bringing in gifts, he walked across the lobby to us and asked if it was someone's birthday. When we said we were celebrating both girls birthdays, he handed us a coupon for free pizza and a free arcade card! The themeing and atmosphere were very cute and well done. And, the guests were all happy, smiling and chatting with each other! I think that last one is a true test of how well a destination is doing it's job.

I'd love to hear about other's experiences! :mickey:

Kalahari in Sandusky has that feeling. The staff is friendly, the resort is beautiful and clean and the water park is huge with something for everyone. I would compare it to Animal Kingdom.

Vegas! :thumbsup:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Madame Leona

Kalahari in Sandusky has that feeling. The staff is friendly, the resort is beautiful and clean and the water park is huge with something for everyone. I would compare it to Animal Kingdom.

---

:thumbsup: It is very nice

We did a short trip to Grapevine, Texas a few years ago, that has stood out as one of our favorite little getaways, and reminded me a lot of Disney.

We went with our family and my brother's family. We stayed at the Gaylord Texan and went on a Polar Express Train ride. Everything about that trip was magical and over the top Christmas. We did the ICE "attraction" at Gaylord, which the kids loved. The entire hotel was decorated from top to bottom, with lots of little nooks hidden here and there. There was a massive train and village set in the main lobby, there was a lifesize gingerbread house that you could walk through, we saw a small penned area with reindeer and hay to take pictures with, Santa was on hand at certain times for photos, a sleigh was set up in the lobby for photos. Throughout our stay there were "entertainers" roaming through the lobby. One day it was a "mayor type" man, wearing a suit and top had. He performed tricks, like pulling a quarter out of kids ears, and such. One day there were a few "elves" running through the lobby area with stacks of presents, just for show.

The polar express train ride was super cool. We had tickets that had to be stamped upon boarding, and they were stamped again during the ride, just like in the movie. The story was told on the ride to the North Pole, as well as snacks and hot cocoa served in souviner mugs. When we got to the North Pole you could see tons of Christmas lights and decorations out the windows of the train. Santa and his elves boarded the train and stopped at each child to give them a Christmas bell and talk to them. On the ride home we sang Christmas carols and had more snacks. This was one of my kids funnest vacation experiences, and one they'll never forget.

We also went into the town of Grapevine, road a trolley car from our hotel to get there. In the town square we were able to see a blacksmith demonstration in a little barn like building, we saw glass blower demonstrations, there were a number of fun jumps for the kids, a nice tented area for food, another tent with youth carolers which appeared to be from local schools. There were also pony rides, cute elaborate Christmas displays. Lots of unique shops! We ran into Mrs. Clause strolling the streets, as well as a tin soldier, a talking Christmas tree, and a riendeer, all costumed and taking pictures with visitors. There was also a place to get hot cocoa and freshly made kettle corn, then a free horse and buggy ride.

I remember thinking this trip, and everything about it, was so full of details, so over the top, and it has always reminded me a bit of our Christmas Disney trips.

My hubby's sister has wanted to do this same trip ever since we told her how much fun we had. We are going with her and her family this year for Thanksgiving weekend. This time we'll stay at Great Wolf Lodge instead, which is across the street from the Gaylord we stayed in. When we did this trip we thought it would be a one time trip, but my kids are so thrilled to be doing it again.

I have to say almost all of our non Disney vacations have been great experiences. I think Disney hotels are overpriced for the room you are getting. When I look at value I also try to think of if the experience we are getting is "once in a lifetime" or "totally new from anything we have done before". Getting out and trying new things for us is part of the reason we go on vacation. We enjoy our Disney Vacations but I can't say our other vacations aren't great experiences or we aren't getting a "bang for our buck".

My personal favorites have been Italy, Canada, Niagara Falls, Las Vegas, Washington DC, Salem, the Grand Canyon, Williamsburg, Newport, Boston.

These of course aren't Disney like, but I don't want all of my traveling to be Disney like. We have been to many theme/amusements parks in the US but we don't plan our vacations around them (except for Disney/Universal).

I guess I would have to say Universal is the closest thing we have experienced to Disney.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NJGIRL

These of course aren't Disney like, but I don't want all of my traveling to be Disney like. We have been to many theme/amusements parks in the US but we don't plan our vacations around them (except for Disney/Universal).

---

Agreed!

We have traveled to other places, like Colorado, the Smokey Mountains (Tennessee and North Carolina) , Atlanta/Lake Lanier, Georgia; Myrtle Beach, Kentucky, Ohio, San Antonio, Galveston, Houston,Texas; Florida beaches, New Orleans, etc, and none of those places were at all like our Disney trips. When we travel to other locations we very seldom do theme parks. To me Disney/Universal does theme parks best. At other locations we try to do more nature inspired things, or things unique to that location. I wouldn't want all our trips to remind me of Disney.

Denise that's great especially for your kids. A long time ago my sons doctor told us the best way for us to have a child interested in learning was to take him to musuems, historic sites and to travel (if we could) to different places around the world/country to peak his curiousity of things outside of our little part of NJ. He is big into history now and at the end of this school year his Social Studies average for all four marking periods was a 103.

Staying off property...and then driving to Disney. It kinda feels like Disney.

Topnotch Resort in Stow, VT. The staff is amazing and the service has always been exceptional.

So sorry! Let me clarify for NJgirl and Buzznwoodys mom. :D I didn't mean that we felt that way about every non-Disney trip!! We go to Disney about every two years and it's important to us to hit other destinations on those other years. We've had some incredible vacations that I wouldn't trade for the world. Yes, state parks, museums, national parks, etc. In fact we're putting off our next Disney trip to 3 years instead of the usual two, because we've booked a trip to Yellowstone for next year. :) But, a couple of times we've really had a dud trip and in those cases we tend to compare what we've spent at those destinations and how much time that would have gotten us at Disney.

Also, I was really curious to see what destinations people felt were really Disney-like. No, we don't all want Disney-only experiences, but it's fun to hear when someone thinks another destination is comparable.

Hope all that makes sense. ;):mickey:

And thank you to those that replied! :mickey: I always love reading about others' experiences at destinations we haven't been to.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheVBs

Hope all that makes sense. ;):mickey:

---

I totally got what you were asking. Perhaps my answer came off wrong. LOL.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheVBs

But, a couple of times we've really had a dud trip and in those cases we tend to compare what we've spent at those destinations and how much time that would have gotten us at Disney.

---

You know, we've had that happen to us too. We've had trips that just didn't give us that "wow factor", yet still cost a good bit to pull off. In those cases it's so hard not to compare what we would have gotten at Disney for the same price.

We've sort of fallen into a rut the past few years....a Disney rut. LOL. We've taken short trips, to other locations, but our main yearly (big) trips have all been to WDW. We are hoping to change that next summer! As much as I love Disney I am longing for a wonderful non WDW trip in the near future.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheVBs

Hope all that makes sense. ;):mickey:

---

It makes perfect sense! :thumbsup:

Disney is the only place we travel to for "Amusement/Theme park fun"... so really nothing else is Disney-like. We love Disney for what it is, but honestly, we do not look for it when we travel elsewhere.

We really enjoy big city trips (New York or San Francisco come to mind), where we enjoy the museums and restaurants, and we do the same here in Toronto; or to the Caribbean to flub on the beach (which we haven't done for about 3 years now). Next year we will be going to Germany and England, and then possibly a cruise the following year, and Italy when my eldest finishes High School. I don't expect any of those holidays to be Disney-like, but I do expect to enjoy some Disney time between alternate destinations. :mickey:

Denise, I could totally tell that you got it and I really enjoyed reading about your Grapevine, TX trip! I'd love to check that out sometime.

I could definitely see us getting into a Disney-rut. It hasn't happened yet, but there are times when we have such a hard time deciding on a destination, that it would be so easy to just fall back on Disney - especially since it's a guaranteed good time!

I wasn't necessarily looking for other theme park experiences. Again, I look back on my original post and realize I didn't explain myself very well. :blush: We get such a great feeling at Disney, that I was wondering if, in general, people have experienced that feeling elsewhere - not necessarily experienced a similar "theme park trip".

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheVBs

I could definitely see us getting into a Disney-rut. It hasn't happened yet, but there are times when we have such a hard time deciding on a destination, that it would be so easy to just fall back on Disney - especially since it's a guaranteed good time!

---

LOL, for us it's laziness! Disney is easy to plan! Other places not always so easy!

What happens is we start looking for a new place to go, it gets so confussing and overwhelming, then the price starts to add up, and we starting wondering "what if we go all that way, spend all that money, and hate it". We know we like Disney, we know that we still feel we get a lot for our money, we know we will have an amazing time. And then before we know it we've put the other locations out of our minds and we go with what we know. It's our "easy" escape!

But at the end of the day, my kids are only 12 and 10, and I know they have traveled to many places some people will never get to go to, so they are very well traveled for their age. It's just these last few years have been more about WDW than other places.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheVBs

We get such a great feeling at Disney, that I was wondering if, in general, people have experienced that feeling elsewhere - not necessarily experienced a similar "theme park trip".

---

I kept thinking "theme park" and couldn't come up with one.
Now for all the rest as to matching or better than Disney my list is long:
Hawaii - any island, any time
California - San Fransisco, Monterey, Big Sur, Napa Valley
Charleston, SC
Hilton Head Island, SC
Savannah, GA
New York City
The Grand Canyon
Yellowstone
Vancouver, Victoria, British Colombia, Peggy's Cove, Quebec and others in Canada
Great little short trip to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland
Williamsburg, VA
Gettysburg and Amish Country, PA
............and the list goes on and on.

This probably isn't what you have in mind, but we have stayed in several lodges in Montana and Wyoming (near Glacier and Yellowstone naitonal parks) that reminded us of the Wilderness Lodge and made us feel like we were at WDW.