DL charms yet another WDW CM

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  • Kidgenie
    MiceChatter
    • Nov 2007
    • 808

    Trip Report DL charms yet another WDW CM

    Hello All,

    Well I have been back from another lovely trip to the mother park for a few days now. The bags are unpacked and the memories are too. It was a really nice trip. Before I left I may have mentioned I was accompanying, for a fifth time, a WDW cast member on their first visit to DL. Hindsight I realize this is number 6, not number 5.


    Upon Driving to the resort on the airport coach, he was shocked, as always. They know Disneyland is in the middle of the city. BUT really, they only *think* they understand this until they actually see it. And as he could now see the spires of Space Mountain, and Peaks of Grizzly and Matterhorn Mountains, and other landmarks, he started to comment about how he didn't know if he was really ready to see it like this. So that part was normal. I've seen that happen before five times.

    Check into the Disneyland Hotel… and off to Disneyland. No monorail, not because it wasn't working but because it was his first time and I have a rule for first time visitors. First entry must be through the main entrance, and the first ride is a round trip ride aboard the Disneyland Railroad. Not sure.... anyway... It didn't take long really, we entered and he noticed the brick floors as oppose to the slab concrete, the tinker bell / Mickey floral, we paused to watch Parade of Dreams and he noticed how rich the sound system was compared to MK's. After the parade we took a ride on the Disneyland Railroad. A fairly rude conductor named Moe was leading the trains. No please or thank yous, just barked commands "Sir your child cannot stand on the bench, must be fully seated on your lap or on the benched." in a harsh tone, while the trains was still in the process of loading. A please and a thank you could have gone a long way to soften that approach…… Anyway…. We get off the train and he is just really impressed with how clean Main street USA is, especially knowing that 20 minutes earlier the parade had just gone through here. He loved the color of the building and felt that the entire street was more rich in detail and immaculately clean, and the shops had variety. We watch the first 50 years with Steve Martin and then headed down to the hub. He sighed and just said " I love Disneyland".

    I smiled. The park was working its charm again. Only this time no comments about the tiny Castle. It didn't seem to matter to him. It stead of saying how small it was, he just mentioned how Cute it was and that it was neat that it had a real draw bridge.

    Now I don't know for sure, as Dane is a Disney Purist. He doesn't, compare, but rather goes into everything with an open mind. He loves WDW like only a few can, usually buy's into the company line as gospel, and I am convince with his always well spoken manners, is destined to be a WDW Ambassador. That said his reaction to Space Mountain was slightly out of character for Dane. As our rocket screeched to a halt and returned to the load station, Dane turned and looked at me:

    "Soooooo Much Better then Ours…… @#$%ing ridiculous."

    Fantasmic!'s lighting and sound system blew him away, and he liked that DL's version because it did not relay on the mist screens as strongly as DHS version does. After Fantasmic he just sighed in frustration at how good this park really is and some comment about how WDW missing the mark and needs to improve.

    Pirates was another experience, from the size of its flume drops to its extra show scenes, clearly superior. That said.....

    I will tell you that after I talked so much about how Disneyland runs the mansion better the WDW, DL proved me wrong. We were loaded directly into the stretch room and the spiels already running and the noise level so high you couldn't really hear what he was saying anyway. This is a frustration I have with WDW's mansion that I don't remember the same happening at DL's but it did both times we rode it. Because of the way they load it the groups don't quiet down until well after the stretch room has begun to stretch. Your suppose to wait for the group to all be in the lobby, hear the spiel, then the doors to the strechroom open and the show really begins. Doing it the other way is kind of like watching Beauty and Beast from just after the opening number. Sure you'll still get the entire story, but you've still missed the opening experience,the setting if you will. Anyway, while impressed with how much more the stretch rooms exaggerated at DL, overall he like WDW's Mansion better. Not a landslide victory for WDW, but I would agree, the after rehab version of WDW's mansion does have a couple extra wow moments. I too now favor WDW's Version.

    Overall though, the parks did their magic. More so DL then DCA, which he described as a Downtown Disney with rides. I don't agree. I *can* understand anyone that says it has a "Universal" Feel to it, but to me it feels more like Disney's Hollywood Studios at WDW. Some parts a bit better(Grizzly peak area is very well themed), and other parts lacking a bit (Burger Invasion corner of the park), but overall, they could so get away with calling it Disney's California Studios. (and I suspect one day they will) But honestly As for DL, he actually said "now I've seen how the Magic Kingdom should be." Which, for how well spoken he always is except for that moment on Space Mountain, this is about as close to saying DL is better the MK then I would expect him to say. Truthfully, it was a lot more then I expected. He later even added, he would never want to work at DL, as he wants to keep it that very special place were he can be the Disney Guest, and not the castmember. So I don't know if that truly counts as six for six...... more on that in a bit.


    As for me, a friend arranged two very special surprises for me and Dane got to benefit from this as well. One a tour of the Dream Suite and two… Lunch at Club 33. Both amazing and when I get a chance, maybe I'll send some pics. yes... Dane got to see and eat in Club 33 on is very first trip to Disneyland. And to be honest, I don't recommend it. I don't really think he truly understood the signifcance of this event. Did he enjoy it? yes. But for as much of a Disney Purist that he is, I would have suspected near tears if he truly understood Club 33 and its history.
    Later in the trip we rode RT on the Lilly Belle. Sadly there are now NO pictures of Walt or Lillian in car. But Dane love it none the less. I had made him intimately aware of is storied history prior to our trip. Kind of wish I had done the same for Club 33. Ok so on yet another day, we did a cab ride in Engine #2, E.P. Riley. In which I ask him if he remembered the movie with Steve Martin and the scene were Walt has a Mickey out the window of the cab. He suddenly realized this was the very engine and he was on the very spot. He was so thrilled to be were so many picture had documented Walt being.

    I showed him Jingles in Fantasyland. And on the last day we took a ride in the Pilot House of the Mark Twain. But not before I gave him a tour of the entire boat, which fortunately DID still have the pictures of Walt.



    So today Dane and I spoke today and he said he was so depressed to be back at work. Then commented again that he would not want to work at DL, so that he would have someplace Special and yet Disney for him to vacation at. He added seeing what Disney can be has inspired him to make WDW better. Wow Hes purist and I love him for it. Go Dane go. He concluded, that Disneyland had totally "taken me by surpise, and I am still in awe of the wonder of it all."
    Six for six? I think so
    Now how in the heck do I post these pics???? lol oh well.
  • Datameister
    =)
    • Aug 2005
    • 13272

    #2
    Re: DL charms yet another WDW CM

    :yea: DL wins over another heart! Always endearing to hear. :blush: Thanks for sharing!

    (As for posting pics, you gotta use a site like Imageshack or Photobucket.)

    Comment

    • Mojave
      DLR Construction nut
      • Nov 2005
      • 5163

      #3
      Re: DL charms yet another WDW CM

      I don't know why. But I really love the term "mother park". I've been to WDW and Epcot Center. But nothing compares. Disneyland will always be THE park. There is no other. I'm an elitist. I grew up with it. Apparently, I like short sentences today.

      Comment

      • DisneyIPresume
        Beach Expert
        • Sep 2006
        • 11332

        #4
        Re: DL charms yet another WDW CM

        Take So Cal's three other amusement parks and blend them all together. What you come up with is the Magic Universal Berry Farm, otherwise known as DCA.

        Comment

        • mycroft16
          I'm not really here
          • Aug 2006
          • 11221

          #5
          Re: DL charms yet another WDW CM

          That was an awesome report! Thanks for sharing it with us. And the magic of Disneyland works yet again. It is truly amazing the power that it really does have. I'm glad he loved the little mother park so much. It's a home to so many of us =D

          Our revels now are ended. These our actors, As I foretold you, were all spirits and Are melted into air, into thin air: And, like the baseless fabric of this vision, The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces, The solemn temples, the great globe itself, Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff As dreams are made on, and our little life Is rounded with a sleep. mycroft16 on Twitter

          Comment

          • princedalton
            Follow me on Twitter!!!
            • Sep 2006
            • 832

            #6
            Re: DL charms yet another WDW CM

            Brilliant!! I love it!!

            and I gotta add that I have experienced that cranky, irritating, and just plain rude conductor...not nice!!!
            *~*~*Prince Dalton*~*~*

            Comment

            • Koutesu
              Koubu Pilot
              • Jul 2005
              • 1504

              #7
              Re: DL charms yet another WDW CM

              Originally posted by DisneyIPresume View Post
              Take So Cal's three other amusement parks and blend them all together. What you come up with is the Magic Universal Berry Farm, otherwise known as DCA.
              -_-;; That sounds like DCA in a nutshell.

              It's great your friend loved the park. For him, to love Disneyland is to love Walt and to be in the same places where Walt walked, talked, laughed, and yes, even played, is something that should stick with him.

              Comment

              • Haunted Man-Shane
                Loyal Servant
                • Sep 2008
                • 5

                #8
                Re: DL charms yet another WDW CM

                Originally posted by Kidgenie View Post
                I will tell you that after I talked so much about how Disneyland runs the mansion better the WDW, DL proved me wrong. We were loaded directly into the stretch room and the spiels already running and the noise level so high you couldn't really hear what he was saying anyway. This is a frustration I have with WDW's mansion that I don't remember the same happening at DL's but it did both times we rode it. Because of the way they load it the groups don't quiet down until well after the stretch room has begun to stretch. Your suppose to wait for the group to all be in the lobby, hear the spiel, then the doors to the strechroom open and the show really begins.
                They don't run their Mansion "better," they run it differently. I don't know how much control over the show an average maid or butler has in California, but I can tell you that in Florida, we have very little. Since we're not dealing with rooms that stretch in the same way as they do in California, there's no human component that controls that part of the show in Florida. Everything is automatic, so if there's any sort of delay your maid or butler experiences getting to the door, it will affect how much of the pre-show you will see. It's possible that even if you're the first one in the door, you may miss a bit of the foyer spiel. And we need to ensure we time everything properly with the audio, to try and give you the best show we can, at the same time trying to get an appropriate-sized group into the stretchroom. We don't have the (ideal) option of waiting until everyone is in place and then hitting a secret button. I don't know if Disneyland does, but I do know they have more control over the show than we do. As far as the noise, it's those locals who've seen the Mansion a hundred times and don't care about the show as much as just getting on the ride who can spoil it for the other guests. At WDW, we do have our share of rowdy guests, but the 3D audio has helped to curb that, and if I have particularly unruly ones, I will ask them to be quiet for the comfort of the other guests.

                That said, I wholeheartedly agree there's just something special about Disneyland that nowhere else can touch. I'm looking forward to seeing it again in just a few short weeks! :thumbup:

                Comment

                • Sleepless Knight
                  MiceChatter
                  • Jul 2008
                  • 243

                  #9
                  Re: DL charms yet another WDW CM

                  I love both Disneyland and WDW, but every time I visit the MK itself I am reminded of just how much I love Disneyland. For me the "I'm at WDW" moment always happens in Epcot. It's nice to see that people very familiar with WDW are willing to truly give Disneyland a chance. I've seen way too many comments from people who don't understand Disneyland.

                  Comment

                  • CASurfer65
                    MiceChatter
                    • Feb 2008
                    • 1317

                    #10
                    Re: DL charms yet another WDW CM

                    Originally posted by Sleepless Knight View Post
                    I love both Disneyland and WDW, but every time I visit the MK itself I am reminded of just how much I love Disneyland. For me the "I'm at WDW" moment always happens in Epcot. It's nice to see that people very familiar with WDW are willing to truly give Disneyland a chance. I've seen way too many comments from people who don't understand Disneyland.

                    And so they should. Especially considering it's the original.
                    I find WDW a great place to go, because as a resort it's quite fantastic.

                    As for the parks themselves, I will always favor Disneyland though, well above the others. It will always have something the rest of them don't.

                    The area surrounding the park hasn't always been the greatest, and only now are they working to improve it. With the berm in place around the park though, you still can find yourself lost in the magic of Walt's original masterpiece quite easily.

                    Comment

                    • Datameister
                      =)
                      • Aug 2005
                      • 13272

                      #11
                      Re: DL charms yet another WDW CM

                      Originally posted by CASurfer65 View Post
                      The area surrounding the park hasn't always been the greatest, and only now are they working to improve it. With the berm in place around the park though, you still can find yourself lost in the magic of Walt's original masterpiece quite easily.
                      Yup yup. When you walk into the park, things can be horrible outside, but Disneyland is Disneyland. Perhaps being able to maintain the magic so strongly in such an unmagical environment is a much greater feat than simply sitting in the middle of the wilderness.

                      Comment

                      • SeaWolf38
                        E T1CK3T
                        • Nov 2007
                        • 1590

                        #12
                        Re: DL charms yet another WDW CM

                        Originally posted by Datameister View Post
                        Yup yup. When you walk into the park, things can be horrible outside, but Disneyland is Disneyland. Perhaps being able to maintain the magic so strongly in such an unmagical environment is a much greater feat than simply sitting in the middle of the wilderness.
                        D-land DOES have a lot harder challenge than WDW has. WDW has a cushy spot in the middle of nowhere, owning all of the land around it as well. Here, we're closed in on all sides, besides the parking structure corner that seems to have been almost taken under control by Disneyland. It's that hard work that makes it more special, along with the fact that you can lose all your troubles when you enter the resort. It's, shall we say, magical.






                        Comment

                        • Sleepless Knight
                          MiceChatter
                          • Jul 2008
                          • 243

                          #13
                          Re: DL charms yet another WDW CM

                          I had an interesting experience in regards to Disneyland's incredible ability to shut out the outside world even though it's literally right across the street. Back in February I went to see the Walt Disney Studios on a Friday, and due to an accident that morning very nearly missed the tour after 3 hours stuck in traffic. It was a nightmare of a morning especially because of the concern over missing out on seeing the Studios.

                          After the tour, we had another 2 hours in traffic just to get back to Anaheim. I live in in the Bay Area, so I spent almost as much time in L.A. traffic that day as I do when I drive to Disneyland from home. When I walked through the gates of Disneyland that evening, all the frustration over spending 5 hours in L.A. rush hour traffic that day simply washed away. It's pretty impressive that Disneyland can pull that off without near complete control over the surrounding area.

                          Comment

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