Washington DC – How it is NOT Like Disney World

If you missed the first installment, How Washington D.C. is Like Disney World, you may want to check that one out first…or not, whatever. Either way, this is a continuation of the start of our look at Washington in conjunction with the release of the Unofficial Guide to Washington, D.C.

This post will contrast visiting America’s Capital with a place readers of this blog presumably know: Walt Disney World. There will be plenty more D.C. coverage coming in the next few months, so please let me know below what you would like to read about. Here we go, how is Disney World different from Washington?

Traffic

Yes, Disney World gets many more visitors than Washington, D.C., but it was also designed specifically to handle such crowds. Washington, while boasting a remarkable design, was not. The circles, squares, and diagonal roads give D.C. a unique layout, but also make it difficult to navigate.

On top of that, a very large number of people (almost 1/2 million according to the 2010 census) commute into the city from their homes outside of it. That means that rush hours clog roads and public transportation as much as almost anywhere.

Buses in Traffic

Speaking of traffic, the good public transportation system mentioned in my previous post loses a little bit of that goodness when traffic gets thick (When the tough get going, the going gets tough, eh?). While the subway system gets crowded, the buses get stuck. There are some roadways with bus lanes, but too few, so a short trip on a bus may not save you any time over walking. While buses in Disney World can get backed up, it’s got nothing on the problems in D.C.

Fewer Theme Parks

Yes, there are amusement parks that are sort of near Washington: Six Flags America is about an hour east and both King’s Dominion and Busch Gardens are a few hours south in Virginia. If rides are what you want, however, you’re never going to do better in D.C. than in Disney World.

…But More Museums

Where Washington hits back at Disney, though, is in it’s cultural offerings. Want real dinosaur bones? Priceless works of art? Towering monuments? Fonzie’s jacket? You can see it all in one of the many, many museums. In addition, there are numerous theaters showing plays, concerts, comedy acts, and lots more.

Free or Cheap Attractions

The hands-down best thing about D.C.’s attractions is that so many of them are either free or very low cost. All Smithsonian museums (and the Zoo) are free, and there are 14 of those plus a new African American History and Culture museum opening in September. There are several other museums that are also free as well as the dozens of monuments and memorials that charge no admission.

While the attractions are certainly more of an educational nature, you would be hard-pressed to spend the equivalent of one Disney admission ticket in Washington.

Actual, For Real History

Yes, the development and expansion of Disney Parks is part of American history, but it’s still got nothing on D.C. The city that was inhabited by America’s greatest leaders still has their footprints all over it.

Less Scheduling

Whether you like it or not a Disney vacation requires some pre-planning. While it is technically possible to make last-minute hotel reservations, utilize walk-up dining reservations, and wait in standby lines rather than use FastPass+, it is inadvisable. On the other hand, it would have to be inordinately busy to not find a hotel or restaurant with availability in D.C. at almost any time. For those who take many Disney vacations, it can feel oddly liberating to be (somewhat) spontaneous.

Even the sites require a minimum of pre-planning. It is helpful to decide in advance what you want to see, but choosing exactly when to go and how long to spend in a particular place is not necessary. Of course, I still plan out as much of the trip as I can, but I am a crazy person (which is why I work here).

More Varied (and Cheaper) Food

There is no shortage of restaurants in either Washington or Disney World. The vast majority of the dining in Disney World, however, is operated by Disney itself. That means more standardization among restaurants (although it does seem to be getting better). D.C. has no such standardization and therefore offers more creativity in their restaurants, although some minimal research is helpful.

As a major tourist destination, there is no shortage of low-quality, high-cost places designed to separate unwitting travelers from their money in return for mediocre food. Luckily we live in an age of technology and a simple app like Yelp (or a wonderful book like the Unofficial Guide to Washington D.C.) can be of great assistance.

It Snows, and Sometimes IT SNOWS

One of the ways that Disney World and Washington are alike is their summer heat and humidity, but they certainly do not share winter weather. Washington, D.C.’s geographic location can mean for a wide range of winter possibilities from relatively mild (40s and 50s Fahrenheit) to big snow (such as their 2 feet a few weeks ago). My least favorite cold weather possibility (even more than snow) is the winters when the temperature hovers in the 30s bringing wave after wave of sleet, ice, and cold rain, although nothing lasts forever, even cold November rain (sorry).

The indoor museums and (mostly) underground Metro help greatly, but you cannot avoid being out in the weather. If you want a silver lining, you can often find very good hotel deals in the winter.

You’ll Be Mixing With Locals

I’ll leave it to you to determine whether this is a pro or con, but you can’t help but interact with the people that live and work in D.C. on a visit there. While that happens sometimes at Disney World, the Cast Members you meet are often from elsewhere and aren’t always able to share local knowledge. Now whether you want the particular knowledge they’re sharing is another matter.

Allows for more adventure

I know, adventure is not something that everyone looks for in a vacation. If you want to stay in a hotel near the mall and only explore the major sites on the mall that is perfectly enjoyable (and I have done it more than once). If, however, you like to leave the masses behind and go find the culture and enjoyment usually reserved for locals, D.C. is perfect for that. Many wonderful, lively, historic neighborhoods are an easy Metro ride away and you know what, there are some great walk-throughs of those neighborhoods in a book I know of (C’mon, I get one more plug, I wrote those parts!)

So I Have to Go to Washington, D.C.?

Yes, probably. If you enjoy history and/or museums than I would say definitely. If you are generally bored by museums, the sheer variance of them and lack of (most) admission fees still make D.C. a fun time. And it really is hard to convey the surreal nature of walking the mall and seeing the massive monuments. So yes, go.