Been to Disneyland, but not Disneyworld. Hopefully the finances will turn around in the next year or two, because I’d really like to take The Littlest Briston there.
I went as a child though I barely remember it. Out of that whole trip (this was your traditional 1970’s vacation… Chicago to Disney World with Mom, Dad, me, my sister, my grandma and my grandpa in a Ford Thunderbird) I mainly just remember seeing alligators in FL.
I went again with my kid (and family) in October after 9/11. It was very, very empty which, reasons for which aside, meant we could get on any ride by walking up and getting on it. Perversely, it was probably the best Disney World trip I could have hoped for.
I went to Disneyland after many Disneyworld trips last year. What really amused us was the complete familiarity and yet the “wait, that should be there!” of the Magic Kingdom. If you are a Disneyland fan, that might be reason enough to go - its a sense of deja vu that is just really odd.
And, of course, Disneyworld has three parks that Disneyland doesn’t have. And Disneyland has a park that Disneyworld doesn’t have.
If, on the other hand you’ve been to Disneyland lots of times because you live in Southern California and its just a place to go - yeah, probably no real reason to travel to Florida.
I’m curious, does WDW get advertised heavily outside the US? The reason I ask is that Mrs. Homie and I have always been there in late October, and we’ve found the crowd to be about 40% British at those times.
I absolutely love sharing the park with my UK brethren. British kids are so friendly and will strike up a conversation with anyone. One time we were standing in line to get into Animal Kingdom, and there was this British family in front of us. Apropos of nothing, the youngest boy (about 5 or 6) turned to me, pointed to Terk, and said “The monkey’s me mate.”
Another time we were waiting for Fantasmic! and there was a British family in front of us. The little girl (about 8 or 9) turned to Mrs. Homie and said, in a thick Cockney accent:
LITTLE GIRL: 'ave you 'ad your tea?
MRS HOMIE: I’m sorry? 
LITTLE GIRL: 'ave you 'ad your tea?
MRS HOMIE: I’m sorry, I don’t understand.
LITTLE GIRL’S MOM [doing her dead-level best to channel a Mayfair accent]: She’s asking if you’ve had your supper, love.
I went to DisneyWorld’s Magiv Kingdom back in the 70’s, when I was 12 or 13. It was ok, but by that age I was more of a KISS records and “Does Andy really have a joint?” than I was about It’s a Small World Afer All."
Two springs ago, I went back. This time it was my sister’s family (10 year old boy and 9 year old girl) who were the benefactors and I was just along for the ride (my parents were renting a house with a pool – that was the attraction for me).
So, back to Magic Kingdom, which I didn’t want to do, but it was my first day down there and I got roped into it. Hated it. It hasn’t changed that much since the 70’s and I thought it was miserable. Space Mountain should be condemned. The haunted house, which I remember being amazed with at age 12, was pathetic, especially considering we waited an hour for it.
But then there was Disney’s Animal Kindom and Disney’s MGM Studios. Effing loved them. I’d go back to those two places – preferably with someone of my own (rather than stag, or my sister’s kids) … and with someone who actually likes roller coasters (my niece and nephew were too chicken-shit).
And then there was Epcot. Sucked. We got there late. We got one speed-pass thing to the Flying ride thingie, and that was it. We got stiffed out of one of the 3D shows, because we didn’t know that the rides close at 7:00. We did a tour of the world at a steady trot so we could get it all in, but we still didn’t manage. All in all, I thought all the pavillion presentations were incredibly cheesy … not to mention that I had 2 tacos and a beer for about $15 bucks.
I am not crazy anti-Disney, but I’m not a fan, which is why, I suppose, I hate the Magic Kingdom; it really is for little kids. I don’t see why any adult would go there if he didn’t have to. The other theme parks they have are much better themed and they are actually interesting to adults.
Disney is way more enjoyable if these sorts of ‘surprises’ don’t surprise you. There are people who put more planning into Disney than was put into the invasion at Normandy. That isn’t necessary, but things like knowing Future World attractions close early helps alot.
So, am I the only one who has been to Disney World but not to any of the parks? I was there on a sort of a press junket (big company, new product line, specialty publications). They put us up in a nice hotel and plied us with lots of free alcohol and food, but did not pay for admission to any of the Disney Parks. Instead, they took us to Universal Islands of Adventure.
Growing up in Southern California, I went to Disneyland every year as a child and a teen, and I’ve been back a few times as an adult.
Did you do the General Motors test track ride? That was our favorite when we went last year and we must have taken it four or five times.
Yes, many times, both as a kid and an adult. We went on our honeymoon there, too. My parents have been several times by themselvs, as well.
I think I have more fun there as an adult than I did as a kid, especially at Epcot - getting a drink in every “country” is fun, and Epcot has some of the best food at the parks. Also, as adults without kids, we don’t have to arrange our trips around school vacations, so we can go at off-peak times when it’s not busy, and the lines are short.
We don’t spend much time at the Magic Kingdom, though we do go, just for some of the old classic rides like the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Carribean (which yes, has had some Jack Sparrow added in, but is still basically the same).
I’ve been to Disneyland once.
Twice, once with just my wife and once with the kids. I worked for AT&T back then, and we got to cut in front of the line for the ride in the big sphere with my pass - and go to an employee’s lounge with soda.
I hate crowds and I hate standing in line, but even going in mid September or whenever it’s quiet doesn’t appeal to me.
We didn’t. I did. Let me explain … no that will take too long … let me sum up.
I was there with my sister, her hub, her two kids and my parents. We had just spent 20 insufferable minutes on the boat ride in the Mexican pavilion and they were keen to try the insufferable boat ride at the Norwegian pavillion. I excused myself and went to the One Rider line at the Test Track thing.
It should be said at this point that I was a bit hung over from the previous evening – I had just spent $15 on a beer and 2 tacos – I was cursing Disney’s corpse for even the most tenuous connection to that shitty Mexican boat ride – I was heading off to stand in line and go on the ride alone – and it was raining, so I didn’t go into it with the best of moods.
It was ok, but all in all, I was not really impressed. It was too slow … until the end, of course; it seemed kind of second rate/rickety and mostly I thought it was boring and predictable … hydrolic “bumps” and tracked obstacle courses and all of that. And really, the last bit … the going fast around the track … big deal. I go faster that on my way to work every day.
They shouldn’t let cynical pricks like me into Magic Kingdom and Epcot in the first place, is all I’m saying.
Probably, but with an entire world to see, why waste time on an expensive place dedicated to characters I don’t like? As I said, I don’t have any ethical problems with it and would never work to discourage anyone else from going.
I’ve been to Disneyland countless times (annual passholder) and WDW 4 times. Jonathan Chance is right. Going to Disneyland is not a comparable experience to going to WDW. Maybe so when WDW was only the Magic Kingdom. But now with 4 parks and everything else at the resort, WDW blows the Disneyland Resort away. And I say this as someone who loves Disneyland.
A travel writer once wrote that it would have been cheaper for their family of four to visit the real Greece when compared to the money they spent to visit the fake Greece at Epcot. 
Been there too many times to count.
I am 46 and Mrs. Wheelz is 45, no kids, and we go there as often as we can.
Now, I can be as much a cynical prick as anybody, but never when I’m at Disney. In some ways, it works as a vacation from the worst of myself.
I can’t agree about Magic Kingdom being just for little kids. Maybe a better way to put is that it is best approached from a child-like state of mind. If you can’t get yourself to that place, then it probably isn’t for you. But the wife and I happily and unashamedly go on the Buzz Lightyear ride, the Snow White Ride, It’s a Small World, etc., and love them all. The attention to detail on rides like Splash Mountain and Pirates of the Carribean is just insane, and the Haunted Mansion is a work of creative genius, IMO. Even the cheesy, dated attractions like Jungle Cruise and the Tiki Room are a hoot.
The other 3 parks all have things to recommend them that you can’t get anywhere else. Wanna go smaller, you’ve got water parks, miniature golf, shopping and restaurants at Downtown Disney… Sometimes we spend a day just visiting all the different hotels.
True, it’s not the cheapest vacation ever (though there are ways to do it on a tighter budget), so if it ain’t your thing, spend your money elsewhere. Shorter lines for me.
There is no Greece exhibit at Epcot.
Just got back from a week’s stay at Walt Disney World - my husband and I have visited there nearly a dozen times since 1996 (& at least yearly since 2000) - so yeah, we’re kind of fanatics.
I’ll be the first to say it isn’t for everyone - and freely admit that Disney does their best to separate you from your money at just about every opportunity - but it’s our favorite vacation spot & is likely to be so for the foreseeable future.
Obviously I wasn’t quoting verbatim. Italy, Greece – it was one of those Mediterranean countries.
Voted “US: No - It just doesn’t appeal to me”. I survived childhood without going to any amusement parks and I see no reason to take my own kids. There’s enough museums, public parks, and other interesting locations in the world that I have no interest going to a commercial venue.