First trip ever report, May 19-22
I'm not going to write a huge, detailed report so I'll just document the highlights. As a long time visitor to WDW, I was skeptical of DL, but all those doubts were completely washed away. It and DCA are amazing parks and completely unique from their Florida counterpart.
The short: We stayed at the Candy Cane Inn, which I highly recommend for its price, rooms, breakfast, location, landscaping, and super friendly staff. They have a shuttle, but you can walk to the park at just a few minutes longer (we timed it). We originally had 3 day hoppers, but upgraded to a 4th day, which was surprisingly easy. We were there from May 19-22. We stayed the extra day because we really wanted to do the Matterhorn (which had been down for refurb) and see some of the 60th craziness. I didn't overly plan this trip except for early morning/first ride strategy. We kind of winged it. So here are some of my highlights, primarily written for those who haven't been yet...
- The rides, in my opinion, are much better at DL. I know that sounds like blasphemy, but I think they have really put effort into upgrading and maintaining them. Yes, there were some temporary breakdowns, but nothing unusual. Plus, there is such a variety of rides in the two parks. Two caveats 1) DL and DCA are right next door, so hopping is much easier than at WDW, so it may just seem like there is more variety. 2) My last visit to WDW was 2008, so maybe a lot has changed since then. (?) But, they really do cram a lot into such a small space and still make it comfortable.
- Despite my sentimentality toward Space Mountain at WDW, I really liked it at DL better. It's like an entirely different ride, but similar theming. Haunted Mansion was much better and the bride scene made more sense. Pirates was similar, but the beginning was more cool. Some of the DCA unique rides, the Screamin and Mickey wheel, were also great though I didn't think I'd even want to ride them. Oh, and Radiator Springs Racers is an amazing ride - so much more than I thought it would be. I think we rode it 5 times during our stay. Also, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride was a must see for me.
- Interaction at DL/DCA seems much more human. The characters walk around at times and just mingle before or after the photo ops. I even saw Oswald. The ticket staff, store staff, ride operators, and security are very friendly. It just felt less mechanical than WDW has at times. The entire operation, from ride lines to Fastpass, shopping, ride operation, just felt cozy. My opinion.
- Crowds. We went at the unfortunate time during grad week and the beginning of the 60th year anniversary. However, we rode everything we wanted to multiple times. The first ride we rode was Radiator Springs Racers. I think we were able to do all this by managing Fastpasses. The only real line we stood in was an hour at the Matterhorn on Friday. That was mainly because we got there late and there were hordes of people. But we re-rode it by going to single rider line. The longest lines on Friday were for food - seriously. But, even during this busy time, crowds were manageable. When we saw long lines, we skipped them, then came back when they were short. SM and Racers were never short (except first thing in the am), so you really have to use FP or single rider to avoid a 90 minute wait. It's a very fluid park.
- Fastpass. The old way works. I haven't experienced the new WDW Fastpass, so I don't know what it's like. But things went so smoothly under the paper FP system. We were able to manage things better and make decisions on the fly. That's how vacation should be.
- Special things: I didn't care for World of Color, especially given that you pretty much have to stand in one place for an hour plus the time of the show to have a good view. I really enjoyed watching the lighting of CarsLand at dusk - don't miss this. The "Yeti" is not down at the Matterhorn - he looks great. Look for the "Hatbox Ghost" at HM. They were having a special thing at DCA (maybe for the 60th) called the "T Party" - kind of an Alice themed live rock music show/street party. Only saw it for a bit, but it was fun. The merchandise seemed better at DL/DCA/DTD than at WDW. Huge variety. The DCA Pixar parade was nice and worth waiting for.
Again, it was my first time so it did all seem fresh and new and it has been 7 years since WDW, so the comparisons may be bad. But, my point is that DL is totally worth a visit and you'll be happy if you go. Don't discount it if you are a WDW faithful because they are not the same.
