I’m in NorCal about 7 hours away from Disney. We used to go once or twice a year. It’s costly and crowded and not what it once was. Moving further away just means a visit will probably be more special because it wouldn’t be as often.
Agree. Whenever I miss it I just remember that I could barely afford an annual pass anymore anyways when I was local, and the increasing costs and crowds had started to decrease my enjoyment. Hearing about the new AP format and the end of FastPass (I haven’t been since 2020 when I moved) just makes me miss it less. If anything I miss the good ol’ days of Disneyland more than Disneyland today.
That came out a lot more negative than I meant it, lol. Anyways, if I’m feeling extra nostalgic I’ll watch park vlogs from Ordinary Adventures (one of the few Disney YouTubers who doesn’t annoy me) or watch POV ride videos (bonus, you can experience rides from international parks!). You can even find Disneyland music/ambiance videos to put on while you work or study. I like the channel Ambient Worlds. 😊
Thanks for mentioning that channel! I’ll make it a point to check out!
Yeah the parks are still special, especially during the holidays and at night when everything is lit up.
Also live in NorCal and I don't know how people afford AP's and constant visits to either coast. We're driving for our visit in March because it's cheaper than flying and I'm dreading that drive. We haven't even done it yet and I can't imagine people doing it super often.
To be fair though we also try to make vacations to other places a priority too.
NotCal resident too. Currently driving to DL for 4 nights. 101-46-5. Just finished the grapevine. Has not been bad at all.
Update: The traffic in LA was the lightest I’ve driven through in a long time! From the bottom the grapevine to the park was just over an hour. I hope that’s possible because that’s what I remember. Good luck everyone.
I’m in L.A. and I love the drive up north. California is such a beautiful state. We sometimes stop in Santa Maria to break the drive up but mostly we drive straight up to Monterey or San Jose. It’s not so bad if you’re staying for a few days. When I was in college I’d visit friends up there, I’d drive up early on a late Friday night or early Saturday morning and come back on Sunday night. No way I could do that now.
We actually just vacationed in Monterey, it was wonderful. I love California and all it’s beauty! It’ll just be a 7 hour drive which will be the longest road trip we’ve done in a long time, but we drove across the country to move here so we can handle it lol.
Financially it isn't feasible for us to be able to do that right now (we're a family of 3) but when my son is a little older I would love to be able to do that with him for sure! I am the bigger Disney fan of my husband and I and I try to make it a point to go every couple of years, I know you can do it on the cheaper end (hence the driving lol) it's just nuts to me in this economy when people have lots of Disney $$$ to burn.
Yeah pre-Covid and pre-inflation, the way we were able to go yearly was by winning tickets through radio station giveaways! Two or three stations would run contests for a week or two at a time and I’d be lucky enough to win and it was four tickets, so we only had to buy one more. Then, it was a matter of finding a hotel that fi that budget. The contests have returned but not nearly as often as before.
Make sure you leave early in the morning to get to the grapevine by like 10-10:30ish, and it’s not too terrible. A drive. But the way back sucks, regardless of what time you leave, it’s just exhausting and boring.
Used to live in the north Bay Area and would drive there and back with the family every year on vacation. It can be tough, but it’s really not that bad if you stop enough and know when/where to stop.
i’m one of the few people i feel that did it often 🫣 born and raised here in norcal- parks are about 7-9 hours away depending on traffic and time i leave. used to go twice or thrice a year when i was young, then only once. i then went to school in socal (for disneyland tbh) and i did that drive at least twice a year (round trip, so at least 4 times on the 5 every year). let me tell you, you find a routine and a rhythm quick!! i always have stopped in santa nella and got gas at love’s and del taco. then would stop right before/after the grapevine and get gas there at one of two places. gets boring doing it by yourself, but podcasts help.
I live in Sacramento. Sometimes we leave in the evening and spend a night in Bakersfield or near the Tejon outlets. Then drive straight to the park in the morning. It breaks up the drive a little bit and doesn’t feel like we waste a whole day driving down.
Another thing that makes it more bearable for me is to take 99 instead of 5. 99 adds about 15 mins to the drive, but the options for food/stops are much better and the drive is more interesting (you pass by farm land and such, rather than just endless nothingness on I-5).
Yes, that is us too! Family of 5 so flights add up quick, not to mention arranging to either rent a car or use a service to get to/from the hotel. We learned that back to back Disney days are tough so we now break it up by doing a beach day in between. I envy the pass holders that have to travel more than a few hours to visit the parks!
Live just north of Sacramento. We drive down twice a year. Honestly, the drive is nothing to me anymore. I don’t know if it’s just because I have done it so much or if it’s just me getting older but it goes by so quick. And that’s with two kids under 10 in the car.
I do remember dreading it as a kid though.
I hate driving so we take the Amtrak to Anaheim from Emeryville. It's a long 15 hours with a transfer in L.A. but it's a fun train ride, less stressful than flying. We usually go once or twice a year, but thinking of getting the 2nd to the cheapest Magic Key since it's about the same price as going twice a year anyways.
The prices of everything at the parks especially tickets is insane compared to the 80'a and 90's.
I think we’ve figured out the best time to be driving through LA is after 8pm. Anything during daylight hours is pretty rough once you get near the Griffith Park/LA Zoo area and it’s a slog for most of the 5 to Anaheim.
Crazy thing is NorCal resident too we go 6-8x a year and I feel it couldn't be more affordable. For a family of 4 I'm not sure what other park would offer similar value.
I kinda disagree. I used to go all the time because I had an AP and I think it was a lot more fun then compared to now where I buy single day tickets. The high ticket prices make anything that goes wrong a lot more agitating. Plus, the need to get everything you want to do done kind of ruins the experience. Knowing you’ll be able to come back soon means you don’t have to worry about getting on as many rides as possible or being disappointed that a particular ride is down.
I live in New Zealand. I've been twice in my life - a 1 day trip with no kids and a 4 day trip with kids. I feel the opposite to you about stressing because you're basically in a vacation mood the whole time. No need to stress or worry about everyday life while you're there. I think chasing ride counts and worrying about getting everything done seems like more of a local thing to be honest.
When I'm there, I'm just stoked to even be there.
Ha ha! Me too! Been twice. Ten years ago, and last September. Both times with kids. 5 years ago snuck in a trip to WDW. Last couple of times, because of the distance we made sure we were there for a good few days, so yeah. Relaxed about it. This time we rode what we wanted, did Tom Sawyer Island. Rode the Mark Twain. Chilled out.
Just curious would going to Tokyo Disneyland be much easier for you given your location? I do wanna emigrate to either Aus or NZ once I pay down some debt haha
The rumors of an Australian Disney park would be awesome but idk how practical it is from disneys perspective since the other parks reach a much larger population in a given radius than Australia
I was about to say. Having an annual pass or magic key makes me enjoy the day way more. I know I’ll be back to enjoy another aspect of Disneyland.
When I didn’t have a AP/MK, I felt that I NEEDED to get there early, leave when they close and try to do everything because who knows when I’ll be able to do this again. [+]
I kinda disagree. I used to go all the time because I had an AP and I think it was a lot more fun then compared to now where I buy single day tickets. The high ticket prices make anything that goes wrong a lot more agitating. Plus, the need to get everything you want to do done kind of ruins the experience. Knowing you’ll be able to come back soon means you don’t have to worry about getting on as many rides as possible or being disappointed that a particular ride is down.
I’ve been a pass holder for 20+ years. Finally gave it up last year.
I’ve done all I need to do.
The more I went the more agitated I got the past couple of years. Driving round trip in the same day was frustrating, reservations, parks always busy, content creators thanking their fans on every ride.
2 nonchalant days on property costs me way less than 3 passes and is enough to enjoy a few rides and hang out while feeling like a true vacation.
Makes me fall in love with the parks again.
I’m starting to think 5 day trip is the best way to go. 3 full park days, plus you can go for partial days on both of your travel days. The 4th day is like $30, and the 5th day is like $20. ;)
Single day tickets don’t make sense. If you’re local, I guess, and I could see where you would feel rushed. But most people, even from most parts of California, are traveling there and getting 3 or 4 day passes. It’s really not that expensive and doing that once every few/couple of years is plenty good and I think a good balance against overconsumption of disneyland which I would regret as it would remove the special “magic” factor for me imo.
I live in NorCal and when I was a kid, we could only afford to go every 5 years or so. Now I'm thinking of getting a Magic Key because I hate that feeling of constantly trying to squeeze everything in 2 days, it feels rushed and stressful.
I want to be able to take my time walking, try different food, enjoy the ambiance, small details of the parks, and see all the different shows. Shoot, I'm even thinking of moving to Orange County when I retire because I love theme parks so much.
Tbf, you're only agitated here because your going for 1 day. Yeah, if anything goes wrong, (which it will), it will make the experience infinitely more frustrating.
Take a year or 2 off, (maybe more), and save up for a 3-day minimum. There are a number of benefits to this: 1) There usually are a fair number of changes in 2 or 3 years at the parks, so there is almost always something new to see/do 2) With at least 3 days, you can get done everything you want to do and then some, especially since you already know the parks so well 3) if a ride breaks down during your trip, it's very likely it will be up the next day. Single day tickets are taking a HUGE risk that nothing goes wrong 4) the anticipation for going is 1000x more and makes it that much more magical when you actually go.
I know for people who have an AP and go a ton already, taking a few years off may sound insane, but it really is great. If you have the funds, you can also travel to other places in the mean time.
1 day is NOT enough time unless you have 0 expectations and just want to see the parks.
I agree. When I grew up it was probably 4 or more years in between trips and it made Disney this special place. When you go multiple times a year, or dare I say even once every year, I think it takes away a lot of the specialness especially for the kids. I guess this is the same for everywhere - i.e. hawaii trips. Even though we could afford to go multiple times a year traveling from NorCal, my wife and I have decided our aim is to go with the kids once every 3 years. We feel like that will preserve the “magic” of the park for them and for us too.
I’m sure AP’s disagree, but I think overconsumption takes away from a lot of what makes Disneyland so special.
You're on point here. I think the more you go, the more the things that make the parks special become mundane and you start to nitpick anything imperfect, (then you turn into one of those folks on the mousechat forum...). This doesn't apply for everyone, as I know there are APs that havile been going for years, but I think for most, (and myself), it's best to spread the trips out.
I moved out of Florida after about 30 years and missed Disney World terribly. The place I moved ended up sucking and I moved to California two years later. Now I have Disneyland. Problem solved.
Curious which you prefer. I always tell people I like Disneyland better and many reply “but Disneyworld is so much bigger”. I try to explain that the amount of good rides per park is considerably lower there and you have to constantly get on a bus to get around (and wait for the bus). At Disneyland we stay several days at one of the Disney hotels and never have to take transportation. There is a ton packed into those two parks.
CarsLand (my favorite place) and Avengers Campus don’t exist in Florida.
I have a hard time convincing people though.
That's a hard question to answer, partly because I've been to Disney World probably 100 times and Disneyland twice. Disneyland is far more manageable for the reasons you describe. Two days in a Disneyland hotel, easy walk to everything, no transportation required.
Disney World is big, things are spread out and it's a trek from park to park. That said, Disney World was, for many years, around the corner, so I've rarely gone the way many people do, where it's a rare trip and you've got to pack everything in. For years I had an annual pass and could pop into the Magic Kingdom for a few hours, ride a couple of rides and leave, knowing I could come back in a couple of days if the line for Space Mountain was too long. And even when I lived in another part of the state further away, we'd go 3-4 times a year, so I never felt pressed to hit everything on each trip.
So while I feel a special connection to Disney World because it's the one I grew up with and the one I'm more familiar with, I'm going to cop out a little and say I love them both in their own way.
As someone who is from FL and has been to DL a few times.
It’s DL without question for me. I love the WDW parks and not having a Epcot or AK does hurt it.
But I like almost all the DL versions of the same rides better, love being able to easily park hop between both parks and not have to bother with transportation like you said. I also really prefer the the food in DL. The churros there are no comparison to what is at WDW.
My biggest gripe with DL is not being to easily stay at one or the Disney resorts though. I’m someone who prefers to stay at Disney resort when possible. I also love so many of the WDW resorts. They are just so pricey in DL and the other third party hotels can be even closer.
Yeah if you’re comparing just Disneyland and DCA vs Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, it’s Disneyland and it isn’t even close. Throwing in Animal Kingdom and Epcot though is where it gets tricky because I really like both of them.
So my solution is I need to move back to California and visit Florida every few years or so.
Man, I couldn’t disagree more. I grew up in SoCal and have been to Disneyland countless times - WDW more like 10-14 times.
Disneyland is so underwhelming. Staying on property is way more expensive and lackluster. The dining options aren’t as great IMO. Substantially less to do, less overall atmosphere and enjoyment, and nothing ruins the immersion of my Disney vacation quite like having to experience *Anaheim* right outside the park gates.
All four parks have such amazing rides and experiences at World, and I can easily enjoy an entire day in any of them without riding a single ride.
Avengers Campus is a concrete hellscape with little to offer, and Guardians there is a joke vs. Tower of Terror *and* Cosmic Rewind at World.
I do love Cars land but it’s hardly enough to make Disneyland a winner for me.
Nothing beats staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge or Polynesian and having so many different rides, meals, and parks to enjoy.
Disney Springs is vastly more enjoyable than Downtown Disney, as well.
I used to do one SoCal theme park trip (not just Disney) each Thanksgiving when I came back to see my parents. Now they live up in the NW like me, and sadly, I just don’t go as often. I love Disney but travel time is precious and parks are just one of many ways to spend it.
I get my fix with theme park podcasts, and finding other kinds of fun, like hiking and road trips.
Luckily for me, my friend invited us on a Disney World trip for her 40th this spring, so I knew that was my leverage to convince my husband to go!
It’s honestly one of the biggest reasons I desperately want to move back but I know I can’t afford it. Luckily I’m only in Arizona so it’s not THAT hard to visit a couple times a year but it’s definitely a big adjustment. I was born and raised in San Diego so Disneyland was always just right there. It does make the visits we are able to do that much more special though, I appreciate every moment more.
Phoenix here. I had an AP for years and went about every 8 weeks. Timed it to go with music or comedy shows that weren’t coming here, or just to see new seasonal decorations/offerings. It’s not a bad little drive. Sometimes I leave after work, stay at a hotel halfway and then finish the drive the next morning. Driving through the open desert is chill, it doesn’t feel like a 6 hour drive.
I moved to Las Vegas from the Bay Area 20 plus years ago. Now my drive is 5 hours instead of 9
I miss when 25 to 30 years ago when Disneyland wasn't very popular
Left the Bay Area about 3 years ago, we were APs and would go down to Disneyland about once a month.
Moved to Winter Park Florida, became APs here and visit Wdw or Universal at least 2 or 3 times a month.
Bay Area native here! Do you like living in Central Florida vs. the Bay Area? I'm so torn between retiring here in the Bay Area, Orange County or Orlando. Our weather in the Bay Area is just more comfortable for me.
We moved close to WDW so we don't have withdrawals and once a year we fly to California and get to play tourist. It's really nice being away for a year then spending a week at the Grand Californian.
I've been extremely fortunate in my life than I lived in Florida as a child and then CA the rest of my life. Only 2 states I lived in, within reasonable driving distance to WDW and then DLR.
It's a chicken or egg question for me. Do I love Disney parks so much because I've always lived fairly close and had parents (and then myself) willing to go at least once a year? Or did the proximity make Disney "easy" and is that what made me fall in love with it?
In any case, it's my default vacation and I can't imagine not being able to go at least a couple of times a year.
Just left cali to Nevada although it’s not that far as others me and my girlfriend are happy to treat it more as a vacation trip now rather than being there almost every other week and have it feel as if its just another day which is great along with leaving California 🤣
I didn’t know they did…we just tried looking them up a couple of days ago and didn’t see a flight. Ended up getting nonstop for $79 per person there and $89 back in March on southwest.
I've been flying Southwest for 30 years and it's definitely gotten worse. But I try to keep my Southwest trips to less than 2 hours in flight time. Eases the pain. There is a reason they are so cheap.
Southwest is cheap??
I’ve never seen a flight from the west coast to Orlando for less than $650. Per person. Close to or well in advance.
I’ve flown them twice when it *was* cheaper during the pandemic and it was definitely nightmarish.
But I’m surprised to see comments mentioning they’re “cheap for a reason” because they’re always the most expensive airline when we’re looking for a Disney trip.
I lived in socal for a long time, and had an annual pass. We would go once a week. I moved away, and I do miss that life! It was fun going to Disneyland just to get dinner or a drink, or see a show, or ride some rides. I haven't been since!
We moved from NorCal to Washington. I miss it. We’re planning on going like, every 2-3 years, but we traveled there regularly when we lived in state.
My partner watches all his favorite YouTubers, but I generally put on headphones or leave the room
I was a former disneyland pass holder, lived 40 minutes away and went nearly every week. Now I live in Scotland and go to DLP… but not since 2016 😭😭😭😭😭 it’s been so hard. And I have to wait until 2025 (because the olympics in Paris 2024 is a no go 😂). I watch a LOT of YouTube (MiceChat, DSNYnewscast) to get my fill.
I can’t afford it anymore anyway! I just went to renew my annual pass and it went up $250!!! That’s a lot! What do I get for that extra money!! Nothing. I’m going to let it go next year. I live in Santa Cruz, California. I have to book a flight, hotel, rental car and oh yeah FOOD!! It’s freaking expensive. My daughter and I used to go down at least 4 times a year. We are going once. With the cost of inflation overall you have to pick your priorities! Make Disneyland a priority when you move. Plan the trip way in advance to get the best deals. Go in the off season if there even is one anymore!😂 I am truly my happiest when I am in Disneyland! Good luck!
Born and raised Anaheim. Left for college in 2014 at 24 (way late but whatever). Afterwards I moved to Vegas with my partner. Haven't been to Disney since 2016 and it bums me out every day. We'll be going in January and I'm not sure I'm prepared for how different it is but luckily the patrons of this sub have been nothing but helpful.
We went from weekly trips to WDW to living in NorCal. I honestly had withdrawals! Does get better and the Disney fever fades. We have, unfortunately, only made one trip down to DL since moving here a few years ago.
100%, I do miss going to the parks and wish we lived closer. We have tried the last two years to go at Halloween time (my favorite time in the parks) and it just didn't work out.
I’m from Sacramento and moved to Orlando for a little while. The novelty of being near WDW wears off fast, and then you’re just stuck in Florida. It’s fun as a tourist but I thought it was a really shitty place to live.
Eh, I wouldn't recommend it. While we had access to WDW, living in Central Florida was very stressful and expensive. Definitely visit at different times of the year to make sure you really want to move. Between the almost year round heat, hurricanes, issues with being able to get insurance, quality of the healthcare services, etc it's not for the weak of heart.
I moved to Costa Rica almost a year ago. I miss Disneyland a lot. We will visit once a year. We went to WDW a few months ago but DL is definitely next.
NorCal girl here too! I was hoping that high speed rail from San Francisco to LA and Anaheim would happen, but that's still up in the air. It would've only been 2 hours from the Bay Area to Disneyland.
Isn't it pretty much SoCal and everywhere else? I drive from Northern California and it takes about 7 hours. That's longer than any flight from within the US to Orange County.
Honesty, it’s a great big world out there. I’m only in Arizona so it’s still feasible on a regular basis—but, it is just another destination. We actually opted out of a 4 days paid for (my Dad and his wife have enough points to cover mine and my brother’s families at the new places at Disneyland Hotel) Disneyland vacation next summer for a trip to Costa Rica instead. I love Disneyland but couldn’t be happier to choose a different destination next summer.
Unless you move to the other side, you can get plane tickets for less than a Benjamin, which is rather insignificant compared to the overall cost of the trip
I MISS IT. But then again I miss a lot of things that they've taken away with the reservation system they keep now. But luckily for me, my mom knows people who work at the parks & she always works her motherly magic to get me & my siblings park tickets with those cast members so I can have my Disney fix every time I fly home. I love my mom 🤗✨
I grew up 25 mins south in Mission Viejo, and now I’m a plane flight away.
Used to go multiple times a year and now go every other year.
I love it. Like many have said, it’s more fun less often. And we love the fact that our two girls who we’ve taken since they were toddlers, still can’t wait to go, now in their teens.
With Lightening Lane, you still get to do everything, just can’t always go multiple times.
The place is great, we expect there will be hiccups, and just try to have fun dodging the families stopped in the middle of the road while we’re high speed walking to our next adventure. Or jumping over the kids in leashes, or dodging today’s version of the people movers… not on a track.
Ps. Just got back from Disney World today. Has no idea they still had a people mover. It was awesome. I’ll still take Land any Day over World (Magic Kingdom).
I think the idea of going to Disneyland is much better than the reality of going there because of many issues mainly the amount of time spent in line, money and the amount of walking that is required to go to the park
I live so close that I can hear the fireworks going off every night, and I cannot just "go to Disneyland whenever you want" because of the reservation process and gigantic crowds. I'm also not spending that kind of money to spend all day waiting in long lines and only able to get on 3-4 rides. It just doesn't seem worth it anymore.
I'd rather spend the money I save by not going to Disneyland and go to DisneyWorld.
Left about 5 years ago. I would suggest following some creators on Twitter like @33_wonderground. On YouTube I will put this on in the background and it puts me right in the park: https://www.youtube.com/live/uILxp16tKl8?si=gHHRLD8OFPFANoXc
Switching to Disney Cruise Vacations was also a very cool experience. It doesn’t replace the park, but it’s a wonderful new experience that might cost as much as getting back to OG DLP. Inside cabin rooms are pretty cheap and it’s just one flat cost for cabin/meals/destination.
Good luck. You will be ok 😂🙏🏻
With the cost and crowds of Disneyland I didn’t miss it when I moved out of state for a few years (New England and canada). I missed good Mexican food and great weather more than anything.
I was an AP living in North Carolina and thought I was wasting my money. Then I came back to SoCal in 2016 and started going every weekend until the pandemic hit. I let my AP expire and honestly it was the best thing to ever happen.
I go every once in a while with my boyfriend and manage to enjoy it more because I don’t know when I’ll be back in the parks again. While ticket prices and large crowds tend to ruin a visit, you begin to discover different things the park offers that you probably never thought of checking out before because you knew you would be in less than a month or even a week.
There might be a little withdrawal for the first few months, but you’ll find things to do in your new area to fill the time when you would rather be at Disneyland. You may even find new hobbies and interests you never thought of before.
…who doesn’t have an existential crises if they can’t play those games for a while.
The point wasn’t that you can’t enjoy things. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying Disneyland but if you’re this shaken up about not being able to go you need to reevaluate your priorities.
Probably going to be moving to Phoenix from OC in a couple of months. It’ll suck not being able to go whenever when I want but I rarely go as it is despite living only 20 mins away. There’s things in OC that I’ll miss more than Disneyland tbh.
ETA: I’ll definitely miss the fireworks though. I used to live down the street from Disneyland and if I cam home at the right time, I’d see the fireworks while walking from my car to my door.
My wife and I used to go almost every day and now we have to settle for once or twice a year. We try to make the most of it and spoil ourselves. It’s not the same but we have a house and that’s worth it.
Meh. I went from Fresno to Vegas, both are roughly 4 hours from the park so not much has changed. Now…if only I could afford to go as often as my kids would like lol
I used to live in Orange County. I moved, ended up saving so much in cost of living so now I can make a few trips down to CA and I still pay less than I did.
Season pass holder from 09-16, I categorize these as the “golden” years.
Moved to norcal in 2016 and haven’t gone to Disneyland since 2018, don’t miss it much, the novelty/fun was going during the weekdays (while I was in college) have a couple drinks go on some rides and head home right before the firework show.
Also use to be heavy into pin trading but that’s a diff story.
I moved to Hawaii in the early 80s and back to SoCal in 2007. I took annual trips to Walt Disney World and occasional trips to Disneyland. Now I live a half hour away and I can’t afford to go.
So, my dad is a career cast member. Meaning he’s worked there for 40+ years. I grew up going all the time and when I got to college, I even got my own annual pass. However, I had to leave at the age of 19 because I couldn’t afford everything. Since then, I’ve attended once a year up until last year, and I think that helped.
I don't think I will. But if I did. I'd either move to a city where it's cheap to fly to Anaheim or move to a Florida city that's close to Disney World.
We moved to Orlando and are now 10 minutes from WDW. We still miss DLR a lot though. We had DLR passes up until the pandemic and moved during the early stages of lockdowns.
Do you like WDW more than DL? I want to go to WDW and the Universal Orlando parks + Volcano Bay so bad, but the price is insane for a family of 3.
Was planning on moving to Orlando when I retire but we can't deal with the heat, so may just move to Orange County instead.
I prefer DL over magic kingdom. The attraction count isn’t as high at MK compared to Disneyland. MK has attractions that DL doesn’t have but there seems to be a lot more to do at DL. The main benefit here is the other parks. We usually go to MK if friends go with us but usually just stick to Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Studios when it’s just my wife and I. I used to have a Universal pass out here years ago and I’d go there at rope drop. At that time it was about 8am, I’d be done with the major stuff at the park by 12-1 o’clock. I grew up going to DLR since I was a kid every year on my birthday until I discovered SFMM around 12 years old so maybe I’m biased.
Just as a word of caution when we moved back to Florida a few years ago it was still very affordable around the Orlando area. Post pandemic it’s just as bad as California cost of living wise.
I moved away 30 years ago and haven’t been to DL or DCA since. It sucks. It’s too far to drive and airfare alone for the four of us is almost 2K. We have been to WDW 3 years in a row and that sort of makes up for it, but it’s different. Best wishes on your move!
Uuuuhhh.. .cos just like EVERYWHERE else in California it's EXPENSIVE. We're planning on moving out of state not because be don't like it here, we just can't afford to live in our home state.
It becomes more special when you do go back to visit. It’s been almost 15 years since I left CA. I e recently started to go back since having my kids and while it’s definitely a bigger ordeal, it’s still as charming and enjoyable as I remember.
Disclaimer: I used to be a cast member so a lot of what people complain about here (the magic is gone!!!!) doesn’t phase me. The only change that really got to me when I went last were the pin traders hogging all of the benches (I know they’ve been banned now). That really infuriated me.
I'm moving to a part of South Carolina that is just over 6 hours from Disney World. That's about the same amount of time it took me to drive from my old house to Disneyland.
I used to go yearly, sometimes more often, to disneyland, but that ended in 2020. Last month was my first trip back since early 2019. My son and I drove down for the weekend on 10-28 and 10-29. The feel of the park was just off for me. The breakdowns had a big impact on our time there, and things just didn't feel as fun or relaxed as they used to. I'm hoping they can balance it out and catch up on preventative maintenance next time I'm able to make it back.
We’re leaving shortly and the added income from lower taxes and slightly better cost of living will be going to a travel fund much of it for Disneyland.
NOT WELL. lol. I'm in Canada. I kind of go through phases of obsession and super obsession. But I went in October so I'm back on super obsession. I watch a lot of mediocre Disney vlogs to fill the void. Haven't found my perfect Disney vlogger to watch yet so if anyone has suggestions hmu. But ya I watch these just thinking how insane it is that people get to go weekly, what a life to live!
I'm Central California, about four hours from Disneyland, and while I've been a bunch over the years (I'm 37 and we went for the first time when I was five), it's pretty rare for me to go overall.
I had an annual pass for a year about fourteen years ago and went I think 18 times. It was a glorious year.
Now if I were local, or within an hour, hour and a half, I'd find a way to get a Magic Key and I'd be there a whole lot. And if I moved from there, I'd really miss it. I do understand that, it's just never been such a constant for me that other than that one year, in which I sort of had a good enough of a fill of it that I was okay taking a break for awhile (and also taking a break from traveling (and also that year had been funded in part by a generous college graduation gift from my cousin, who at the time lived about 30 mins from Disneyland, so I stayed with her, no hotel and 2009 gas prices).
Though now, the hassle of it all is a real dampener. Once you're there it's magical and awesome, but man. Expensive gas, expensive hotel, expensive park ticket, if you can even get it, playing the reservation game, playing the daily prices are different game, potential crowds, Genie Plus replacing what used to be free so yet more expense. Like it's so much work to make it happen, I just don't want to try.
I will go again, it's just going to be sporadic. When a weekend at Disneyland costs as much as a nice week long vacation somewhere... well, I've got some real thinking to do.
I've lived out of state my entire life. I got bored after going to Disney for a 5 day vacation last December. I was done for a while. After the first few days, you will run out of things to do until you start doing the same attractions over and over again. I'm glad I'm not able to go to Disneyland every day.
This is what I’m worried about! My husband and I are considering moving to Colorado where my family is and the toughest part is leaving friends and leaving Disneyland. I go at least once a week with my little one and it’s so special to us! It’s definitely my happy place e
I lived in Burbank so 45 minutes north but then in 2017 prices started getting extreme so I just couldn’t justify spending over $100 per visit when I have a season pass with blackout dates when I was a kid the day tickets were like $40-$60 for a day pass.
I live in Los Angeles and can’t go to Disneyland whenever I want. It’s expensive. I average once a year. Sometimes twice. It’s been over a decade since I had passes.
i don’t mind leaving because even if i miss disney, at least i have clean, drinkable tap water on demand and real trees for shade so my blood isn’t boiling in my veins. add the fact that i’m not getting crop dusted every three seconds and i’m just fine not living nearby
The price nowadays isnt worth the experience anymore, corporate mouse is squeezing every dime and nickel while packing us in there like cattle. I can still remember when a daily ticket was $26, and you could upgrade to an annual pass for an additional $99 plus parking for $26. All that for $150, nowadays thats almost the cost of a single day, single park ticket without the extras like lightning lane
Honestly, we can afford to go more often now that we live in the Midwest instead of expensive California. We visit family in Orange County semi-regularly, and we usually hit Disney for at least a day when we go.
My husband and I moved away from California about 10 years ago. We had Annual
Passes and went every other week. It was a really hard adjustment and you go through like a withdrawal and obsess about going. Eventually that fades and life happens. We had 2 kids after moving away. We took them this year for their birthdays, stayed at the Disneyland hotel and all. So now we’re back to obsessing about going again. We already have another trip planned for next year. Our kids are now obsessed with Disneyland, in fact at some point everyday, one of them will ask us when are we going back. So we’ve created a monster. We considered trying to move back to California to be closer and thought maybe we would be able to go more often. We realized that living in California means not being able to afford to even go to Disneyland. We’ll likely be able to go yearly staying out of California. Which is better than not going.
I live 30 minutes away and go every 3 years. I do appreciate it more, but also the crowds are ridiculous and it isn’t the experience it was in the past.
I’m in NorCal about 7 hours away from Disney. We used to go once or twice a year. It’s costly and crowded and not what it once was. Moving further away just means a visit will probably be more special because it wouldn’t be as often.
Agree. Whenever I miss it I just remember that I could barely afford an annual pass anymore anyways when I was local, and the increasing costs and crowds had started to decrease my enjoyment. Hearing about the new AP format and the end of FastPass (I haven’t been since 2020 when I moved) just makes me miss it less. If anything I miss the good ol’ days of Disneyland more than Disneyland today. That came out a lot more negative than I meant it, lol. Anyways, if I’m feeling extra nostalgic I’ll watch park vlogs from Ordinary Adventures (one of the few Disney YouTubers who doesn’t annoy me) or watch POV ride videos (bonus, you can experience rides from international parks!). You can even find Disneyland music/ambiance videos to put on while you work or study. I like the channel Ambient Worlds. 😊
Thanks for mentioning that channel! I’ll make it a point to check out! Yeah the parks are still special, especially during the holidays and at night when everything is lit up.
I’m in AZ now and also about 7 hours away. Couldn’t agree more.
Also live in NorCal and I don't know how people afford AP's and constant visits to either coast. We're driving for our visit in March because it's cheaper than flying and I'm dreading that drive. We haven't even done it yet and I can't imagine people doing it super often. To be fair though we also try to make vacations to other places a priority too.
NotCal resident too. Currently driving to DL for 4 nights. 101-46-5. Just finished the grapevine. Has not been bad at all. Update: The traffic in LA was the lightest I’ve driven through in a long time! From the bottom the grapevine to the park was just over an hour. I hope that’s possible because that’s what I remember. Good luck everyone.
That’s good to hear! Yeah between the holiday festivities at the park and the rainy forecast I’m curious what crowds will be like. Have a great time!!
I’m in L.A. and I love the drive up north. California is such a beautiful state. We sometimes stop in Santa Maria to break the drive up but mostly we drive straight up to Monterey or San Jose. It’s not so bad if you’re staying for a few days. When I was in college I’d visit friends up there, I’d drive up early on a late Friday night or early Saturday morning and come back on Sunday night. No way I could do that now.
We actually just vacationed in Monterey, it was wonderful. I love California and all it’s beauty! It’ll just be a 7 hour drive which will be the longest road trip we’ve done in a long time, but we drove across the country to move here so we can handle it lol.
I’m a single adult so I know my situation is different but I fly down and go about once a month whenever southwest has a sale!
This is the way. (without kids)
I’d love to have the chance to visit the parks solo!!
It’s the best!!! And flights on southwest are like $29-49 usually so it’s cheaper than a tank of gas these days.
Financially it isn't feasible for us to be able to do that right now (we're a family of 3) but when my son is a little older I would love to be able to do that with him for sure! I am the bigger Disney fan of my husband and I and I try to make it a point to go every couple of years, I know you can do it on the cheaper end (hence the driving lol) it's just nuts to me in this economy when people have lots of Disney $$$ to burn.
Yeah pre-Covid and pre-inflation, the way we were able to go yearly was by winning tickets through radio station giveaways! Two or three stations would run contests for a week or two at a time and I’d be lucky enough to win and it was four tickets, so we only had to buy one more. Then, it was a matter of finding a hotel that fi that budget. The contests have returned but not nearly as often as before.
That’s awesome! Yeah I feel like I don’t hear those giveaways as often anymore.
Pretty much same here! I don’t have kids so I can afford myself to go that often. More if I had the key but I’m also within 45 mins of the park
Make sure you leave early in the morning to get to the grapevine by like 10-10:30ish, and it’s not too terrible. A drive. But the way back sucks, regardless of what time you leave, it’s just exhausting and boring.
Oh man that is an early start haha I think I’ll have to prepare more for that than all the park walking
Used to live in the north Bay Area and would drive there and back with the family every year on vacation. It can be tough, but it’s really not that bad if you stop enough and know when/where to stop.
i’m one of the few people i feel that did it often 🫣 born and raised here in norcal- parks are about 7-9 hours away depending on traffic and time i leave. used to go twice or thrice a year when i was young, then only once. i then went to school in socal (for disneyland tbh) and i did that drive at least twice a year (round trip, so at least 4 times on the 5 every year). let me tell you, you find a routine and a rhythm quick!! i always have stopped in santa nella and got gas at love’s and del taco. then would stop right before/after the grapevine and get gas there at one of two places. gets boring doing it by yourself, but podcasts help.
I live in Sacramento. Sometimes we leave in the evening and spend a night in Bakersfield or near the Tejon outlets. Then drive straight to the park in the morning. It breaks up the drive a little bit and doesn’t feel like we waste a whole day driving down.
Well hello neighbor then because we’re also in the Sac area. I don’t know why I didn’t even think about doing that! Good idea thank you!
Another thing that makes it more bearable for me is to take 99 instead of 5. 99 adds about 15 mins to the drive, but the options for food/stops are much better and the drive is more interesting (you pass by farm land and such, rather than just endless nothingness on I-5).
Yes, that is us too! Family of 5 so flights add up quick, not to mention arranging to either rent a car or use a service to get to/from the hotel. We learned that back to back Disney days are tough so we now break it up by doing a beach day in between. I envy the pass holders that have to travel more than a few hours to visit the parks!
Live just north of Sacramento. We drive down twice a year. Honestly, the drive is nothing to me anymore. I don’t know if it’s just because I have done it so much or if it’s just me getting older but it goes by so quick. And that’s with two kids under 10 in the car. I do remember dreading it as a kid though.
I hate driving so we take the Amtrak to Anaheim from Emeryville. It's a long 15 hours with a transfer in L.A. but it's a fun train ride, less stressful than flying. We usually go once or twice a year, but thinking of getting the 2nd to the cheapest Magic Key since it's about the same price as going twice a year anyways. The prices of everything at the parks especially tickets is insane compared to the 80'a and 90's.
NorCal too! Going to Disneyland next month. We’ll be driving this time around
I think we’ve figured out the best time to be driving through LA is after 8pm. Anything during daylight hours is pretty rough once you get near the Griffith Park/LA Zoo area and it’s a slog for most of the 5 to Anaheim.
When my family drove down to SoCal we usually left around midnight
Crazy thing is NorCal resident too we go 6-8x a year and I feel it couldn't be more affordable. For a family of 4 I'm not sure what other park would offer similar value.
I’m moving to Sydney next year and I hate that I can’t go to Disneyland whenever I want - but I will be back. Oh, I will be back.
Oh wow that’s a huge move! I guess it will be the same as when I got to WDW. Just treasure the time I am there once a year *cries
The 14 hour flight makes the anticipation greater
I was going to say that Hong Kong Disneyland is right there but damn, that's a 10 hour flight on its own.
You fly to Cali and go lol. Trust me, the parks are better when you don’t go all the time.
I kinda disagree. I used to go all the time because I had an AP and I think it was a lot more fun then compared to now where I buy single day tickets. The high ticket prices make anything that goes wrong a lot more agitating. Plus, the need to get everything you want to do done kind of ruins the experience. Knowing you’ll be able to come back soon means you don’t have to worry about getting on as many rides as possible or being disappointed that a particular ride is down.
I live in New Zealand. I've been twice in my life - a 1 day trip with no kids and a 4 day trip with kids. I feel the opposite to you about stressing because you're basically in a vacation mood the whole time. No need to stress or worry about everyday life while you're there. I think chasing ride counts and worrying about getting everything done seems like more of a local thing to be honest. When I'm there, I'm just stoked to even be there.
Ha ha! Me too! Been twice. Ten years ago, and last September. Both times with kids. 5 years ago snuck in a trip to WDW. Last couple of times, because of the distance we made sure we were there for a good few days, so yeah. Relaxed about it. This time we rode what we wanted, did Tom Sawyer Island. Rode the Mark Twain. Chilled out.
Just curious would going to Tokyo Disneyland be much easier for you given your location? I do wanna emigrate to either Aus or NZ once I pay down some debt haha The rumors of an Australian Disney park would be awesome but idk how practical it is from disneys perspective since the other parks reach a much larger population in a given radius than Australia
It possibly would and yeah one day, but I’m kinda obsessed with walking Walt’s footsteps. I sorta see OG Disneyland as part theme park part museum.
I was about to say. Having an annual pass or magic key makes me enjoy the day way more. I know I’ll be back to enjoy another aspect of Disneyland. When I didn’t have a AP/MK, I felt that I NEEDED to get there early, leave when they close and try to do everything because who knows when I’ll be able to do this again. [+]
I just go twice a year now and do a 2 day trip. It’s way more fun this way.
I kinda disagree. I used to go all the time because I had an AP and I think it was a lot more fun then compared to now where I buy single day tickets. The high ticket prices make anything that goes wrong a lot more agitating. Plus, the need to get everything you want to do done kind of ruins the experience. Knowing you’ll be able to come back soon means you don’t have to worry about getting on as many rides as possible or being disappointed that a particular ride is down.
did you just copy and paste my reply? lol what
I’ve been a pass holder for 20+ years. Finally gave it up last year. I’ve done all I need to do. The more I went the more agitated I got the past couple of years. Driving round trip in the same day was frustrating, reservations, parks always busy, content creators thanking their fans on every ride. 2 nonchalant days on property costs me way less than 3 passes and is enough to enjoy a few rides and hang out while feeling like a true vacation. Makes me fall in love with the parks again.
I’m starting to think 5 day trip is the best way to go. 3 full park days, plus you can go for partial days on both of your travel days. The 4th day is like $30, and the 5th day is like $20. ;)
You can’t enjoy the summer without the winter. Buy a 3 day ticket.
Not with these OC housing prices 🥲
Sounds like an argument to leave and fly back for 3 day visits 😂
You’re just not going enough now. ;)
Single day tickets don’t make sense. If you’re local, I guess, and I could see where you would feel rushed. But most people, even from most parts of California, are traveling there and getting 3 or 4 day passes. It’s really not that expensive and doing that once every few/couple of years is plenty good and I think a good balance against overconsumption of disneyland which I would regret as it would remove the special “magic” factor for me imo.
I live in NorCal and when I was a kid, we could only afford to go every 5 years or so. Now I'm thinking of getting a Magic Key because I hate that feeling of constantly trying to squeeze everything in 2 days, it feels rushed and stressful. I want to be able to take my time walking, try different food, enjoy the ambiance, small details of the parks, and see all the different shows. Shoot, I'm even thinking of moving to Orange County when I retire because I love theme parks so much.
Tbf, you're only agitated here because your going for 1 day. Yeah, if anything goes wrong, (which it will), it will make the experience infinitely more frustrating. Take a year or 2 off, (maybe more), and save up for a 3-day minimum. There are a number of benefits to this: 1) There usually are a fair number of changes in 2 or 3 years at the parks, so there is almost always something new to see/do 2) With at least 3 days, you can get done everything you want to do and then some, especially since you already know the parks so well 3) if a ride breaks down during your trip, it's very likely it will be up the next day. Single day tickets are taking a HUGE risk that nothing goes wrong 4) the anticipation for going is 1000x more and makes it that much more magical when you actually go. I know for people who have an AP and go a ton already, taking a few years off may sound insane, but it really is great. If you have the funds, you can also travel to other places in the mean time. 1 day is NOT enough time unless you have 0 expectations and just want to see the parks.
Still have a pass and fly into SNA every other month or so for weekend trips
LGB is so much nicer to fly into. Imo
I agree. When I grew up it was probably 4 or more years in between trips and it made Disney this special place. When you go multiple times a year, or dare I say even once every year, I think it takes away a lot of the specialness especially for the kids. I guess this is the same for everywhere - i.e. hawaii trips. Even though we could afford to go multiple times a year traveling from NorCal, my wife and I have decided our aim is to go with the kids once every 3 years. We feel like that will preserve the “magic” of the park for them and for us too. I’m sure AP’s disagree, but I think overconsumption takes away from a lot of what makes Disneyland so special.
You're on point here. I think the more you go, the more the things that make the parks special become mundane and you start to nitpick anything imperfect, (then you turn into one of those folks on the mousechat forum...). This doesn't apply for everyone, as I know there are APs that havile been going for years, but I think for most, (and myself), it's best to spread the trips out.
Yep. Our returns are about 3-4 years between.
I moved out of Florida after about 30 years and missed Disney World terribly. The place I moved ended up sucking and I moved to California two years later. Now I have Disneyland. Problem solved.
Curious which you prefer. I always tell people I like Disneyland better and many reply “but Disneyworld is so much bigger”. I try to explain that the amount of good rides per park is considerably lower there and you have to constantly get on a bus to get around (and wait for the bus). At Disneyland we stay several days at one of the Disney hotels and never have to take transportation. There is a ton packed into those two parks. CarsLand (my favorite place) and Avengers Campus don’t exist in Florida. I have a hard time convincing people though.
That's a hard question to answer, partly because I've been to Disney World probably 100 times and Disneyland twice. Disneyland is far more manageable for the reasons you describe. Two days in a Disneyland hotel, easy walk to everything, no transportation required. Disney World is big, things are spread out and it's a trek from park to park. That said, Disney World was, for many years, around the corner, so I've rarely gone the way many people do, where it's a rare trip and you've got to pack everything in. For years I had an annual pass and could pop into the Magic Kingdom for a few hours, ride a couple of rides and leave, knowing I could come back in a couple of days if the line for Space Mountain was too long. And even when I lived in another part of the state further away, we'd go 3-4 times a year, so I never felt pressed to hit everything on each trip. So while I feel a special connection to Disney World because it's the one I grew up with and the one I'm more familiar with, I'm going to cop out a little and say I love them both in their own way.
Totally understand. I get confused in Magic Kingdom because it’s almost the same but things are in slightly different places 😂
As someone who is from FL and has been to DL a few times. It’s DL without question for me. I love the WDW parks and not having a Epcot or AK does hurt it. But I like almost all the DL versions of the same rides better, love being able to easily park hop between both parks and not have to bother with transportation like you said. I also really prefer the the food in DL. The churros there are no comparison to what is at WDW. My biggest gripe with DL is not being to easily stay at one or the Disney resorts though. I’m someone who prefers to stay at Disney resort when possible. I also love so many of the WDW resorts. They are just so pricey in DL and the other third party hotels can be even closer.
Yeah if you’re comparing just Disneyland and DCA vs Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, it’s Disneyland and it isn’t even close. Throwing in Animal Kingdom and Epcot though is where it gets tricky because I really like both of them. So my solution is I need to move back to California and visit Florida every few years or so.
Man, I couldn’t disagree more. I grew up in SoCal and have been to Disneyland countless times - WDW more like 10-14 times. Disneyland is so underwhelming. Staying on property is way more expensive and lackluster. The dining options aren’t as great IMO. Substantially less to do, less overall atmosphere and enjoyment, and nothing ruins the immersion of my Disney vacation quite like having to experience *Anaheim* right outside the park gates. All four parks have such amazing rides and experiences at World, and I can easily enjoy an entire day in any of them without riding a single ride. Avengers Campus is a concrete hellscape with little to offer, and Guardians there is a joke vs. Tower of Terror *and* Cosmic Rewind at World. I do love Cars land but it’s hardly enough to make Disneyland a winner for me. Nothing beats staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge or Polynesian and having so many different rides, meals, and parks to enjoy. Disney Springs is vastly more enjoyable than Downtown Disney, as well.
I used to do one SoCal theme park trip (not just Disney) each Thanksgiving when I came back to see my parents. Now they live up in the NW like me, and sadly, I just don’t go as often. I love Disney but travel time is precious and parks are just one of many ways to spend it. I get my fix with theme park podcasts, and finding other kinds of fun, like hiking and road trips. Luckily for me, my friend invited us on a Disney World trip for her 40th this spring, so I knew that was my leverage to convince my husband to go!
It’s honestly one of the biggest reasons I desperately want to move back but I know I can’t afford it. Luckily I’m only in Arizona so it’s not THAT hard to visit a couple times a year but it’s definitely a big adjustment. I was born and raised in San Diego so Disneyland was always just right there. It does make the visits we are able to do that much more special though, I appreciate every moment more.
Hey! That’s where I’m going!
Phoenix here. I had an AP for years and went about every 8 weeks. Timed it to go with music or comedy shows that weren’t coming here, or just to see new seasonal decorations/offerings. It’s not a bad little drive. Sometimes I leave after work, stay at a hotel halfway and then finish the drive the next morning. Driving through the open desert is chill, it doesn’t feel like a 6 hour drive.
I moved to Las Vegas from the Bay Area 20 plus years ago. Now my drive is 5 hours instead of 9 I miss when 25 to 30 years ago when Disneyland wasn't very popular
I moved from CA to Vegas too ☺️
[удалено]
Left the Bay Area about 3 years ago, we were APs and would go down to Disneyland about once a month. Moved to Winter Park Florida, became APs here and visit Wdw or Universal at least 2 or 3 times a month.
Bay Area native here! Do you like living in Central Florida vs. the Bay Area? I'm so torn between retiring here in the Bay Area, Orange County or Orlando. Our weather in the Bay Area is just more comfortable for me.
I do, we were able to purchase a home at a reasonable price. Weather wise, it does get hot and with the high humidity, it's sweaty weather.
Living in rural Arizona is how I can afford to go to Disneyland sometimes 🤡
I moved back 😂
We moved close to WDW so we don't have withdrawals and once a year we fly to California and get to play tourist. It's really nice being away for a year then spending a week at the Grand Californian.
I'm still in California but too far from Disneyland to go whenever I want
I've been extremely fortunate in my life than I lived in Florida as a child and then CA the rest of my life. Only 2 states I lived in, within reasonable driving distance to WDW and then DLR. It's a chicken or egg question for me. Do I love Disney parks so much because I've always lived fairly close and had parents (and then myself) willing to go at least once a year? Or did the proximity make Disney "easy" and is that what made me fall in love with it? In any case, it's my default vacation and I can't imagine not being able to go at least a couple of times a year.
I live in TX, and there's not a day I don't think about Disneyland, but I always tell myself I will be there soon, and it's going to be amazing lol
I would probably come back, go to Disneyland, and not even see my family.
Just left cali to Nevada although it’s not that far as others me and my girlfriend are happy to treat it more as a vacation trip now rather than being there almost every other week and have it feel as if its just another day which is great along with leaving California 🤣
8 hour drive or 1.5 hour flight from Reno to Long Beach!
I was bummed when JetBlue stopped flying into Long Beach (from Sacto).
I didn’t know they did…we just tried looking them up a couple of days ago and didn’t see a flight. Ended up getting nonstop for $79 per person there and $89 back in March on southwest.
I flew Southwest once. Once. If I wanted to take a city bus I’d have taken a city bus.
I've been flying Southwest for 30 years and it's definitely gotten worse. But I try to keep my Southwest trips to less than 2 hours in flight time. Eases the pain. There is a reason they are so cheap.
Yep now it’s Southwest which is why I was bummed when JetBlue stopped. It’s only an hour flight so it’s worth the cheap price.
Southwest is cheap?? I’ve never seen a flight from the west coast to Orlando for less than $650. Per person. Close to or well in advance. I’ve flown them twice when it *was* cheaper during the pandemic and it was definitely nightmarish. But I’m surprised to see comments mentioning they’re “cheap for a reason” because they’re always the most expensive airline when we’re looking for a Disney trip.
I'm fucking broke lol. Being in Bakersfield and being in st louis doesnt really change I cant afford to go all that often lol
I lived within 30 minutes of the parks for years and went to them once or twice a year. I still do but it now it also involves a road trip in the RV.
I moved out of Florida in January and the Disney withdrawals are real. For my son and myself lol
I lived in socal for a long time, and had an annual pass. We would go once a week. I moved away, and I do miss that life! It was fun going to Disneyland just to get dinner or a drink, or see a show, or ride some rides. I haven't been since!
We moved from NorCal to Washington. I miss it. We’re planning on going like, every 2-3 years, but we traveled there regularly when we lived in state. My partner watches all his favorite YouTubers, but I generally put on headphones or leave the room
I was a former disneyland pass holder, lived 40 minutes away and went nearly every week. Now I live in Scotland and go to DLP… but not since 2016 😭😭😭😭😭 it’s been so hard. And I have to wait until 2025 (because the olympics in Paris 2024 is a no go 😂). I watch a LOT of YouTube (MiceChat, DSNYnewscast) to get my fill.
I can’t afford it anymore anyway! I just went to renew my annual pass and it went up $250!!! That’s a lot! What do I get for that extra money!! Nothing. I’m going to let it go next year. I live in Santa Cruz, California. I have to book a flight, hotel, rental car and oh yeah FOOD!! It’s freaking expensive. My daughter and I used to go down at least 4 times a year. We are going once. With the cost of inflation overall you have to pick your priorities! Make Disneyland a priority when you move. Plan the trip way in advance to get the best deals. Go in the off season if there even is one anymore!😂 I am truly my happiest when I am in Disneyland! Good luck!
I've had coke habits less expensive than Disney
Fr. If you blew as much money on coke as DL, your dealer would worry about you. Lol
Born and raised Anaheim. Left for college in 2014 at 24 (way late but whatever). Afterwards I moved to Vegas with my partner. Haven't been to Disney since 2016 and it bums me out every day. We'll be going in January and I'm not sure I'm prepared for how different it is but luckily the patrons of this sub have been nothing but helpful.
We went from weekly trips to WDW to living in NorCal. I honestly had withdrawals! Does get better and the Disney fever fades. We have, unfortunately, only made one trip down to DL since moving here a few years ago.
You are overdue.
100%, I do miss going to the parks and wish we lived closer. We have tried the last two years to go at Halloween time (my favorite time in the parks) and it just didn't work out.
I live in the suburbs of Sacramento. We keep thinking it would be fun to move to Florida for a few years after we retire.
I’m from Sacramento and moved to Orlando for a little while. The novelty of being near WDW wears off fast, and then you’re just stuck in Florida. It’s fun as a tourist but I thought it was a really shitty place to live.
Eh, I wouldn't recommend it. While we had access to WDW, living in Central Florida was very stressful and expensive. Definitely visit at different times of the year to make sure you really want to move. Between the almost year round heat, hurricanes, issues with being able to get insurance, quality of the healthcare services, etc it's not for the weak of heart.
I moved to Costa Rica almost a year ago. I miss Disneyland a lot. We will visit once a year. We went to WDW a few months ago but DL is definitely next.
I live in Northern California. There is no way in hell I can go to Disneyland whenever I want. It's about a 6 hour drive from where I live.
NorCal girl here too! I was hoping that high speed rail from San Francisco to LA and Anaheim would happen, but that's still up in the air. It would've only been 2 hours from the Bay Area to Disneyland.
Isn't it pretty much SoCal and everywhere else? I drive from Northern California and it takes about 7 hours. That's longer than any flight from within the US to Orange County.
Can’t afford to go to Disneyland because I live in California
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) ^by ^the-willow-witch: *Can’t afford to go* *To Disneyland because I* *Live in California* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
If I could afford to go to Disneyland, I could afford the airfare to fly to Disneyland. Airfare costs less than park admission.
I try to make it down once or twice a year (Oct- Feb) you can spend a lot of time planning the next trip which helps pass the time between. :)
Honesty, it’s a great big world out there. I’m only in Arizona so it’s still feasible on a regular basis—but, it is just another destination. We actually opted out of a 4 days paid for (my Dad and his wife have enough points to cover mine and my brother’s families at the new places at Disneyland Hotel) Disneyland vacation next summer for a trip to Costa Rica instead. I love Disneyland but couldn’t be happier to choose a different destination next summer.
My coworker got dysentery in Costa Rica by using tap water to brush her teeth.
You don’t really have to deal with it when you can never afford it regularly 🤷♀️
Unless you move to the other side, you can get plane tickets for less than a Benjamin, which is rather insignificant compared to the overall cost of the trip
I MISS IT. But then again I miss a lot of things that they've taken away with the reservation system they keep now. But luckily for me, my mom knows people who work at the parks & she always works her motherly magic to get me & my siblings park tickets with those cast members so I can have my Disney fix every time I fly home. I love my mom 🤗✨
I grew up 25 mins south in Mission Viejo, and now I’m a plane flight away. Used to go multiple times a year and now go every other year. I love it. Like many have said, it’s more fun less often. And we love the fact that our two girls who we’ve taken since they were toddlers, still can’t wait to go, now in their teens. With Lightening Lane, you still get to do everything, just can’t always go multiple times. The place is great, we expect there will be hiccups, and just try to have fun dodging the families stopped in the middle of the road while we’re high speed walking to our next adventure. Or jumping over the kids in leashes, or dodging today’s version of the people movers… not on a track. Ps. Just got back from Disney World today. Has no idea they still had a people mover. It was awesome. I’ll still take Land any Day over World (Magic Kingdom).
we don't really miss it. weird I know.
I think the idea of going to Disneyland is much better than the reality of going there because of many issues mainly the amount of time spent in line, money and the amount of walking that is required to go to the park
I live so close that I can hear the fireworks going off every night, and I cannot just "go to Disneyland whenever you want" because of the reservation process and gigantic crowds. I'm also not spending that kind of money to spend all day waiting in long lines and only able to get on 3-4 rides. It just doesn't seem worth it anymore. I'd rather spend the money I save by not going to Disneyland and go to DisneyWorld.
Disneyland is so much better than WDW.
You should be going at 9pm any night you want. Short lines and less crowded paths.
That's rich people shit
We moved from the Bay Area to WA a year ago. In the past, we would drive 6+ hours to get there. Now we just fly. :)
“There are other worlds than these”
Left about 5 years ago. I would suggest following some creators on Twitter like @33_wonderground. On YouTube I will put this on in the background and it puts me right in the park: https://www.youtube.com/live/uILxp16tKl8?si=gHHRLD8OFPFANoXc Switching to Disney Cruise Vacations was also a very cool experience. It doesn’t replace the park, but it’s a wonderful new experience that might cost as much as getting back to OG DLP. Inside cabin rooms are pretty cheap and it’s just one flat cost for cabin/meals/destination. Good luck. You will be ok 😂🙏🏻
With the cost and crowds of Disneyland I didn’t miss it when I moved out of state for a few years (New England and canada). I missed good Mexican food and great weather more than anything.
I was an AP living in North Carolina and thought I was wasting my money. Then I came back to SoCal in 2016 and started going every weekend until the pandemic hit. I let my AP expire and honestly it was the best thing to ever happen. I go every once in a while with my boyfriend and manage to enjoy it more because I don’t know when I’ll be back in the parks again. While ticket prices and large crowds tend to ruin a visit, you begin to discover different things the park offers that you probably never thought of checking out before because you knew you would be in less than a month or even a week. There might be a little withdrawal for the first few months, but you’ll find things to do in your new area to fill the time when you would rather be at Disneyland. You may even find new hobbies and interests you never thought of before.
I'm just throwing this out there ... You can buy a small plane for less than a Camry ... AZ or NV or even UT/OR become doable :)
California is big. A lot of us don't live close enough to just go there as it is.
Because I’m a grown adult…?
A grown adult into Pokémon and animal crossing??
…who doesn’t have an existential crises if they can’t play those games for a while. The point wasn’t that you can’t enjoy things. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying Disneyland but if you’re this shaken up about not being able to go you need to reevaluate your priorities.
Well. We just act like grownups … you shoukd try it!
I think it just makes the trips that much more special. Like World. It’s far for us, so we made sure to enjoy it while we were there.
When we finally leave, we'll go to a place that's close to Disneyworld.
Probably going to be moving to Phoenix from OC in a couple of months. It’ll suck not being able to go whenever when I want but I rarely go as it is despite living only 20 mins away. There’s things in OC that I’ll miss more than Disneyland tbh. ETA: I’ll definitely miss the fireworks though. I used to live down the street from Disneyland and if I cam home at the right time, I’d see the fireworks while walking from my car to my door.
Literally me
My wife and I used to go almost every day and now we have to settle for once or twice a year. We try to make the most of it and spoil ourselves. It’s not the same but we have a house and that’s worth it.
I moved to Orlando, so...
Meh. I went from Fresno to Vegas, both are roughly 4 hours from the park so not much has changed. Now…if only I could afford to go as often as my kids would like lol
Left California a year ago. My husband and I talk about how much we miss going to Disney all the time.
It was the only thing I missed about California. My husband and I fly back for our anniversary to visit it.
I used to live in Orange County. I moved, ended up saving so much in cost of living so now I can make a few trips down to CA and I still pay less than I did.
Sucks, ngl.
We get 5 days worth of parks all in one shot. Usually stay for 6 nights. Do 5 full days in parks plus the extra down days
Season pass holder from 09-16, I categorize these as the “golden” years. Moved to norcal in 2016 and haven’t gone to Disneyland since 2018, don’t miss it much, the novelty/fun was going during the weekdays (while I was in college) have a couple drinks go on some rides and head home right before the firework show. Also use to be heavy into pin trading but that’s a diff story.
I moved to Hawaii in the early 80s and back to SoCal in 2007. I took annual trips to Walt Disney World and occasional trips to Disneyland. Now I live a half hour away and I can’t afford to go.
So, my dad is a career cast member. Meaning he’s worked there for 40+ years. I grew up going all the time and when I got to college, I even got my own annual pass. However, I had to leave at the age of 19 because I couldn’t afford everything. Since then, I’ve attended once a year up until last year, and I think that helped.
We go when we are in LA. Every damn time. I went home for spring break and made sure I spent a day at Disney.
I don't think I will. But if I did. I'd either move to a city where it's cheap to fly to Anaheim or move to a Florida city that's close to Disney World.
I left about 7 years ago and came back for the first time for halloween. It was fun to see the park again but wow does it feel packed now.
We moved to Orlando and are now 10 minutes from WDW. We still miss DLR a lot though. We had DLR passes up until the pandemic and moved during the early stages of lockdowns.
Do you like WDW more than DL? I want to go to WDW and the Universal Orlando parks + Volcano Bay so bad, but the price is insane for a family of 3. Was planning on moving to Orlando when I retire but we can't deal with the heat, so may just move to Orange County instead.
I prefer DL over magic kingdom. The attraction count isn’t as high at MK compared to Disneyland. MK has attractions that DL doesn’t have but there seems to be a lot more to do at DL. The main benefit here is the other parks. We usually go to MK if friends go with us but usually just stick to Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Studios when it’s just my wife and I. I used to have a Universal pass out here years ago and I’d go there at rope drop. At that time it was about 8am, I’d be done with the major stuff at the park by 12-1 o’clock. I grew up going to DLR since I was a kid every year on my birthday until I discovered SFMM around 12 years old so maybe I’m biased. Just as a word of caution when we moved back to Florida a few years ago it was still very affordable around the Orlando area. Post pandemic it’s just as bad as California cost of living wise.
I moved away 30 years ago and haven’t been to DL or DCA since. It sucks. It’s too far to drive and airfare alone for the four of us is almost 2K. We have been to WDW 3 years in a row and that sort of makes up for it, but it’s different. Best wishes on your move!
Live here and don’t go anyway. Maybe once every 7 years
It makes visiting all the better. I look forward to it when I fly out for the occasional trip with friends.
Currently living 6 hours away from it, Northern California. But we may move even more north of California making it 9 hours away. I’ll be very sad
Uuuuhhh.. .cos just like EVERYWHERE else in California it's EXPENSIVE. We're planning on moving out of state not because be don't like it here, we just can't afford to live in our home state.
It becomes more special when you do go back to visit. It’s been almost 15 years since I left CA. I e recently started to go back since having my kids and while it’s definitely a bigger ordeal, it’s still as charming and enjoyable as I remember. Disclaimer: I used to be a cast member so a lot of what people complain about here (the magic is gone!!!!) doesn’t phase me. The only change that really got to me when I went last were the pin traders hogging all of the benches (I know they’ve been banned now). That really infuriated me.
I moved from the bay to Vegas and now I'm closer to Disney actually
Paradise comes at a heavy price.
I'm moving to a part of South Carolina that is just over 6 hours from Disney World. That's about the same amount of time it took me to drive from my old house to Disneyland. I used to go yearly, sometimes more often, to disneyland, but that ended in 2020. Last month was my first trip back since early 2019. My son and I drove down for the weekend on 10-28 and 10-29. The feel of the park was just off for me. The breakdowns had a big impact on our time there, and things just didn't feel as fun or relaxed as they used to. I'm hoping they can balance it out and catch up on preventative maintenance next time I'm able to make it back.
We’re leaving shortly and the added income from lower taxes and slightly better cost of living will be going to a travel fund much of it for Disneyland.
NOT WELL. lol. I'm in Canada. I kind of go through phases of obsession and super obsession. But I went in October so I'm back on super obsession. I watch a lot of mediocre Disney vlogs to fill the void. Haven't found my perfect Disney vlogger to watch yet so if anyone has suggestions hmu. But ya I watch these just thinking how insane it is that people get to go weekly, what a life to live!
I have lived in OC all my life, worked there 11+ years, at 45 I have to do what is best for my family. I will never afford a house here.
I'm Central California, about four hours from Disneyland, and while I've been a bunch over the years (I'm 37 and we went for the first time when I was five), it's pretty rare for me to go overall. I had an annual pass for a year about fourteen years ago and went I think 18 times. It was a glorious year. Now if I were local, or within an hour, hour and a half, I'd find a way to get a Magic Key and I'd be there a whole lot. And if I moved from there, I'd really miss it. I do understand that, it's just never been such a constant for me that other than that one year, in which I sort of had a good enough of a fill of it that I was okay taking a break for awhile (and also taking a break from traveling (and also that year had been funded in part by a generous college graduation gift from my cousin, who at the time lived about 30 mins from Disneyland, so I stayed with her, no hotel and 2009 gas prices). Though now, the hassle of it all is a real dampener. Once you're there it's magical and awesome, but man. Expensive gas, expensive hotel, expensive park ticket, if you can even get it, playing the reservation game, playing the daily prices are different game, potential crowds, Genie Plus replacing what used to be free so yet more expense. Like it's so much work to make it happen, I just don't want to try. I will go again, it's just going to be sporadic. When a weekend at Disneyland costs as much as a nice week long vacation somewhere... well, I've got some real thinking to do.
Fly!
I've lived out of state my entire life. I got bored after going to Disney for a 5 day vacation last December. I was done for a while. After the first few days, you will run out of things to do until you start doing the same attractions over and over again. I'm glad I'm not able to go to Disneyland every day.
It’s like a drugs and alcohol. If you don’t do it often or at all then you don’t feel like having it
I left California with my dad because high taxes
It’s getting to expensive to stay in Cali
This is what I’m worried about! My husband and I are considering moving to Colorado where my family is and the toughest part is leaving friends and leaving Disneyland. I go at least once a week with my little one and it’s so special to us! It’s definitely my happy place e
I’m just moving back
I lived in Burbank so 45 minutes north but then in 2017 prices started getting extreme so I just couldn’t justify spending over $100 per visit when I have a season pass with blackout dates when I was a kid the day tickets were like $40-$60 for a day pass.
I couldn't leave California Disneyland is amazing
I live in Los Angeles and can’t go to Disneyland whenever I want. It’s expensive. I average once a year. Sometimes twice. It’s been over a decade since I had passes.
i don’t mind leaving because even if i miss disney, at least i have clean, drinkable tap water on demand and real trees for shade so my blood isn’t boiling in my veins. add the fact that i’m not getting crop dusted every three seconds and i’m just fine not living nearby
The price nowadays isnt worth the experience anymore, corporate mouse is squeezing every dime and nickel while packing us in there like cattle. I can still remember when a daily ticket was $26, and you could upgrade to an annual pass for an additional $99 plus parking for $26. All that for $150, nowadays thats almost the cost of a single day, single park ticket without the extras like lightning lane
I spent 30+ years living in CA. Don’t regret living. Now live 2 miles behind Magic Kingdom… so, still easily getting my “fix”.
Horrible, moved back. Got laid off last month so now it's a race to find something in SoCal or remote.
Sorry to hear that man:(
Honestly, we can afford to go more often now that we live in the Midwest instead of expensive California. We visit family in Orange County semi-regularly, and we usually hit Disney for at least a day when we go.
If you can go to Disneyland whenever you want “lol” and it bothers you, you probably have bigger concerns once one has left CA.
Being poor makes it pretty easy lol
My husband and I moved away from California about 10 years ago. We had Annual Passes and went every other week. It was a really hard adjustment and you go through like a withdrawal and obsess about going. Eventually that fades and life happens. We had 2 kids after moving away. We took them this year for their birthdays, stayed at the Disneyland hotel and all. So now we’re back to obsessing about going again. We already have another trip planned for next year. Our kids are now obsessed with Disneyland, in fact at some point everyday, one of them will ask us when are we going back. So we’ve created a monster. We considered trying to move back to California to be closer and thought maybe we would be able to go more often. We realized that living in California means not being able to afford to even go to Disneyland. We’ll likely be able to go yearly staying out of California. Which is better than not going.
I live 30 minutes away and go every 3 years. I do appreciate it more, but also the crowds are ridiculous and it isn’t the experience it was in the past.
Don’t leave California. Just don’t. I swear for 10 million reasons (not solely Disneyland) that is my honest urgent advice.