Which is better, WDW or Disneyland?

I would initially say WDW is the better choice without reservation, except for the part about you having trouble walking. WDW is more spread out than Disneyland. That said, renting a scooter is not a problem at either location.

But most importantly, the Disney experts are on tripadvisor.com and other sites... not so much on Thorn Tree. If you haven't already asked these questions there, I would certainly do so.

I agree with #1. But both are pretty well set up for handicapped folks. You shouldn't have a lot of trouble getting around or finding a scooter. Take a look at their websites, there is a whole section on each for the subject.

Ed

I would say WDW is the better of the two, We stayed at The Caribbean Beach Resort on the complex, our room was really nice. This hotel has a pool and lake and a restaurant area closeby. We got the shuttle busses from outside every day and they take you straight in to the main entrance of the park. I believe there is a monorail type system that goes between the hotels in the resort, we went to view other hotels aswell, they are all fantastic. The grand Floridian (the posh main one) is where you can meet all the characters at breakfast and dinner, it was quite expensive though. We got to get all their autographs whilst int he park which was just as good for us. My mum has trouble getting around too but just took it easy, I'm sure they have good facilities though in terms of scooter hire etc.

If you do go make sure you visit MGM, Epcot and Universal Studios. I also remember Blizzard Beach waterpark was so much fun.

Have a good trip

Contact the park and your hotel in advance and you should be able to have a scooter, golf cart or wheel chair waiting for you. We met Walt Disney himself at Disneyland (obviously this was a long time ago), driving a small golf cart to get around. Disneyland is a shorter flight from Portland (use John Wayne Orange County airport if possible), but if you have the bucks to go to lots of different parks, WDW may be best.

p.s. you can guess the worst times in terms of crowds yourself: holidays, vacation periods. Weather will be hotter in Orlando than in Anaheim in the summer. May be a good idea to use a travel agent, for packages, suggestions on dates to avoid crowds and get better flight fares, etc.

thank you all for your responses. I hope I get a lot more!!! That is cool, Babba, that you got to meet WD. Tiger, did you go in the Lake at Carib Beach resort? Is it allowed?

All: i will vcome back here tonight. Gotta leave now for a hectic day!

I will be excitied to come back here to read your responses, ideas, experiences,and suggestions! We are not well to do but I do want it to be fun for her. We have been very low income all our lives so I am kinda a penny pincher but, like I saud, I want this to be SUPER fun for her!!!

So is summer more crowded than like, say the middle of April? If I go to WDW I would prefer the summer!

See ya tonight!

Thanks!

nancy

I think you'll wind up spending a lot more money if you go to the Florida park.

Definitely Disney World. If you're looking for more of a once-in-a-lifetime trip, WDW is the place, especially if you're flying anyway.

You might consider one of their Value resorts. They have 4 - Pop Century, All-Star Sports, All-Star Music, and All-Star Movies. They're all pretty normal hotel rooms, but the benefit is that they're on property so you get the Disney transportation as well as all the early entry and late close days. Any price difference that there may be gets made up for in convenience.

Food is something that can really trip people up. What we've done is get the meal plan. I believe it's about $45/day/person and it includes one counter-service meal, one sit-down meal and a snack. And during the meals you get your dessert, drinks, etc. It's a great way to experience the restaurants at WDW. For example, you could do a character breakfast as your sit-down meal one day. And for what you get during the day, it ends up saving you lots of money. If you do this, though, make sure you get your dining reservations made early!

Whatever you do, avoid the middle of April! That's the only time I've been there when they've actually closed down the park because it was so full. If you absolutely must go sometime when school's out, try early or late summer. Another option is January, right after New Year's. The weather's cooler and everyone leaves pretty quickly after the holiday.

Here's the thing...I've seen people who try to scrimp and save on their Disney vacation and they end up being miserable. I can remember nights when my nephews were very tired and cranky and then once the park closed we had to wait in line to take the tram to the car, wait in traffic, and then drive out to a Ponderosa or something. At the end of the day no one was in a good mood! Any time you leave one of the parks it's a bit of a hassle, but it's much easier A)if you're staying on property and B)if you don't have to leave every time you want to eat.

If there's one thing Disney is good at, it's getting you to spend your money. But the upside is that it's an increadible place and getting to go there leaves great memories for any kid (and the parents). Is it the most educational vacation you'll ever take? The cheapest? No and no, but it makes up for it in other ways. I hope I answered some of your questions, and feel free to let me know if you have any others!

I too agree with #1. #8 has useful observations. Particularly troubling is the way people blow money they don't have because they have the notion that Disney is the Vacation of a Lifetime. So they end up miserable.

There is a whole industry devoted to publishing how-to-cope-with-Disney guidebooks, videos, and websites. If visiting Orlando, Sea World is in many ways as nice as Disney, and just as costly.

The resort and convention industry in Orlando is overwhelming. There's the duck hotel (Peabody), palm atrium hotel (Gaylord Palms), any number of golf places, and of course Disney's wide array of themed hotels.

I suspect that Disneyland, being so much smaller, is more manageable.

Going from Portland to Orlando between May and October would be an exercise in self-torture. Portland is blessed with lovely low-humidity summer weather. Orlando is like going into the bathroom, turning on the UV light, running the shower until the temperature is at least 90 degrees, and sitting there until you sunburn. [I'm an ex Portlander with plenty of Florida summer experience--and it's nicer here on the beach than in Orlando!]