Is Disneyland all its cracked up to be?

[mazybunnyx 10]

Ok sonny youngest mentioned wanting to go to Disney (which I can't afford anytime soon) but I just wondered if it's as magical as the adverts suggest?

[Sooperdooper 10]

Hi

 

I took my two daughters this year, age 11 and 15. We did have a great time but is was no way worth all the money that it cost. It is also the most exhausting holiday we have ever had, we walked over 70 miles in the two weeks we were there. Everything needs to be planned with military precision to avoid huge queues at rides in the parks.

 

My youngest daughter said she wished it was like the advertisements, ie not packed with massive queues, sums it up really.

 

Its ticked off our bucket list, I wouldn't do it again or recommend it. I don't want to sound like a party pooper, but we had a much better time on a beach holiday. But I know lots of people who love it and go every year.

[L00b 441]

Ok sonny youngest mentioned wanting to go to Disney (which I can't afford anytime soon) but I just wondered if it's as magical as the adverts suggest?

Out of season and for a kid aged about 9-10, probably yes.

 

Earlier, and they won't be able to go on most of the rides (minimum height requirement).

 

Later, and the "kid in them" might have worn off too much already.

 

mazybunnyx's right, as the accompanying parent you should consider it a "working" holiday. It's heavy duty, full- and always-on, and can prove knackering.

 

I never recommend or not recommend the US ones, but I would always say that Eurodisney is a good local alternative:

 

all the rides and the 'Disney ambience' in one smaller park (there's only 4 to 5 rides per 'themed' park in Florida, the Paris one has just about all of them in one),

 

a bit less of the heavy 'you even have to buy the air you breathe' everything-must-be-paid-for approach (or at least, it doesn't feel as oppressive as it does in the US).

 

and far (far far far) cheaper overall than a 2 week trip to the US.

 

You do without the guaranteed good weather, though (...if 35+ centigrade heat and 90+% humidity is your thing )

[AMR67 10]

Just come back from our 3rd visit to Florida, and IMO Universal is still far better than any of the Disney Parks. Magic Kingdom is a must (but it's a late finish if you're staying to watch the fireworks), Animal Kingdom is OK, but the other 2 (Epcot and Hollywood Studies) are pretty average. As for the weather, we had rain on the first 6 days of our holiday (albeit only for an hour or so in the afternoons) and some of the best lightening storms I've ever seen - although it was still around 100f.

[bertyboop 10]

I agree, universal was the best for me, we stayed late in the Disney part though and the parades and fireworks were amazing. We flew back xmas day which just made it more magical

[hagrid 10]

We stayed in a Gite near to Euro Disney a couple of years ago, far cheaper than

the nearby hotels.

Grown up daughter and partner, me, the wife and 10 year old. Oct half-term.

 

We took our car and had to pay 15 euro for the pleasure of their car park - rip off

or what ?

 

The French staff were miserable not helpful, queued ages for all the rides on one of them

it was a 40 min wait then halfway round it packed in.

 

All in all it was a real let down and not worth the high ticket price, but we can tick it

off the must do list.

 

However we later on in the week visited Park Asterix a French Theme Park, what a

difference, staff were great, all helpful and friendly, hardly any queues and it has some

great rides, some are showing their age but brill nevertheless.

 

So in our view Park Asterix beats Euro Disney by a Country Mile.

 

https://www.parcasterix.fr

[L00b 441]

We took our car and had to pay 15 euro for the pleasure of their car park - rip off or what ?

Bargain.

 

It's $20 in the US.

 

Per day.

[AMR67 10]

Bargain.

 

It's $20 in the US.

 

Per day.

 

Quite right L00b. We did 10 days out of 14 at Universal and Disney -$200 in parking alone, good job the water parks are free!!!

[mazybunnyx 10]

Wow guys hanks so much for your advise. Genuinely appreciated. If anyone has spare time to discuss further before we look to book, my kik is teamjedward63737

[poppet2 13]

The whole Disneyworld in Florida is fantastic, so is Universal studios. A few tips, try and go in November/December, it's still hot and there are no queues whatsoever! I went on the same ride about 15 times, just came out and kept going on it till I got tired, as no queues whatsoever.

Never drive your hire car from the airport when you land. Get a coach bus at the airport, that does the hotels circuit when you arrive, then collect your hire car locally, the next day when you are refreshed and over the jet lag.

[Starlet83 10]

Wow guys hanks so much for your advise. Genuinely appreciated. If anyone has spare time to discuss further before we look to book, my kik is teamjedward63737

 

We have booked for February at Euro Disney 2 adults 1 child, Disney hotel, standard meal plan, self drive including euro tunnel. 5 days £749

[ez8004 10]

I went to the one in Hong Kong a few years ago. It was brilliant as it was such a compact theme park, so all the attractions were relatively very close together. I never had a queuing issue as they ran a system at the time where you can effectively book a time when you want to use the ride and effectively queue jump at that time.