I think you are getting more technical. DK takes more thinking to be just as good.
Falcon can rely more on reaction, whereas DK has to think ahead, since he's not fast enough to punish by simply reacting. The learning curve, imo, is steeper with DK than falcon. Dk's combo's are simply harder to master.
If you just keep playing, doesn't matter what character, you'll understand spacing better, and will recognize some habits people may have faster than you do now. This is when the thinking comes into play.. If you know the enemy, there's a million ways to counter it. At that moment, DK might even become your best character =P