After years of trying—and a few canceled trips—Wendy Fox finally made it to Disneyland!

Joining Curtis is returning guest Samantha as they compare Walt's original park to Walt Disney World, sharing first impressions, favorite attractions, resort experiences, food reviews, planning tips, and the little details that make each Disney destination special.

If you've ever wondered whether Disneyland belongs on your Disney bucket list, this episode is packed with practical advice, honest observations, and plenty of Disney Geek fun.

• 🏰 Wendy's first walk down Main Street U.S.A. and seeing Disneyland for the first time
• 🎢 Favorite attractions, nostalgic rides, and Cars Land highlights
• 🏨 Staying at Disney's Grand Californian and Disneyland Hotel
• 🍽️ Disneyland dining, snacks, and what lived up to the hype
• ⚡ Lightning Lane strategy and planning tips for first-time visitors
• 🎆 Disneyland vs. Walt Disney World—resorts, cast members, entertainment, atmosphere, and more
• 📚 Why touring Walt's original park is a must for every Disney fan

Whether you're planning your first Disneyland vacation or you've been many times, we hope this conversation helps you appreciate the unique magic that both Disney destinations have to offer.

Planning your next Disney vacation?

Margita and Auntie Judy—the Travelin' Tiaras—would love to help you plan your Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Universal, Epic Universe, or other dream vacation.

Already booked? In many cases, you can transfer your reservation to the Travelin' Tiaras and still receive their personalized planning and expert support—all while helping support the podcast.

📧 TravelinTiaras@gmail.com

If you enjoy the podcast and would like to help us continue bringing Disney trip reports, planning tips, and great conversations to the Disney Geek community, please consider supporting us on Patreon.

Your support helps cover the costs of producing the podcast and keeps the magic going every week.

👉 patreon.com/GeekinOnWDW

Thanks for listening, and thank you for going Geekin' on Walt Disney World with us! ✨

Bill and I review our favorite top 10 rides and attractions at Disney World.

This week, Wendy Fox steps in as special guest host to interview Margita about our May trip that started with one very Disney Geek reason — expiring Southwest airfare credits — and turned into a fun split stay between Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World.

Margita shares what it was like staying at Universal’s brand-new Stella Nova Resort, walking into Epic Universe for the first time, and comparing Universal’s easy-flowing park experience with the planning-heavy world of Disney. From Dark Universe and How to Train Your Dragon to Harry Potter’s Ministry of Magic and Celestial Park, this episode has plenty of fresh reactions from a Disney travel planner seeing Universal’s newest park up close.

Then we head back “home” to Disney with a stay at Port Orleans Riverside in one of the newly refreshed royal rooms, some Flower and Garden Festival time, Magic Kingdom favorites, Big Thunder fun, and a little experimenting with Wait Magic to grab hard-to-find Lightning Lane times.

• How a short-notice trip came together from expiring airfare credits
• Margita’s first impressions of Stella Nova Resort
• The excitement of walking into Epic Universe for the first time
• Universal Express Pass vs. Disney Lightning Lane
• Dark Universe, Ministry of Magic, How to Train Your Dragon, and Celestial Park
• What Universal is doing really well — and where Disney still shines
• Port Orleans Riverside and the refreshed royal rooms
• Flower and Garden Festival topiaries and a slower Disney pace
• Using Wait Magic to help modify Lightning Lane times
• Looking ahead to future Disney and Universal trips

At the heart of this episode is that fun Disney Geek question we all wrestle with now: how does Universal’s newest park change the way we think about Orlando vacations? Margita still loves the Disney bubble, the cast members, the nostalgia, and the feeling of coming home — but Epic Universe definitely made an impression.

If you’re thinking about planning your next Disney vacation and some Epic Universe, my wife Margita and our good friend Auntie Judy are the Travelin’ Tiaras — your trusted Disney travel planners.

They can help with Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Universal, Epic Universe, and beyond.

Already booked? You can transfer your reservation to us and still get expert tips, strategy, and support — and it’s a great way to support the show.

📧 TravelinTiaras@gmail.com

Or reach out on Facebook Messenger.

A huge thank-you to our Patreon family for helping keep the podcast going and supporting the costs of producing the show each week.

You can support us at:

patreon.com/GeekinOnWDW

Thanks for listening, Geeks — and thanks for going Geekin’ on Walt Disney World with us!

Jessica Oden shares her family’s spring break Disney World trip, with smart planning tips, character dining wins, Wait Magic strategy, All-Star Music resort, sweet kid moments, and Disney magic through fresh eyes.

We spend this episode with Scott and Karen from the Mickey Files podcast, talking about recent Disney World visits, park favorites, and their day together at Epcot.

Jen shares a relaxing Disney Fantasy cruise filled with spa days, Lookout Cay, and unforgettable mother-daughter memories.

After 20 years away, Curtis returns to Universal Orlando to experience Epic Universe for the first time and shares what surprised him most, how it compares to Walt Disney World, and why Disney still feels like home.