If you want the essence of Walt Disney, you might want to skip Orlando

[lilaclily]

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy going to WDW in Orlando. The resorts are huge and there is much to do. However, if you want to feel that REAL magic, the kind where craftsmanship had a soul; California's Disney is the way to go. They even have a Pinocchio ride!

WDW is all about the big event, but not always the details which is what made Disney stand out from the other theme parks. You can tell by the money and effort WDW will throw into Star wars. Meanwhile the iconic rides like the People mover, that old workhorse, are neglected. Not even bothering to paint something interesting on the walls.
I still love hearing: "Paging Mr. Morrow, Mr. Tom Morrow, please contact Mr. Johnson in the control tower to confirm your Flight to the Moon."

Meanwhile, I hope that Disneyland learns from Walt Disney World what not to do. Its not all about the quantity. So far they have been able to keep the essence of Walt. Hope they can hold out.

 

[King Schultz]

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy going to WDW in Orlando. The resorts are huge and there is much to do. However, if you want to feel that REAL magic, the kind where craftsmanship had a soul; California's Disney is the way to go. They even have a Pinocchio ride!

WDW is all about the big event, but not always the details which is what made Disney stand out from the other theme parks. You can tell by the money and effort WDW will throw into Star wars. Meanwhile the iconic rides like the People mover, that old workhorse, are neglected. Not even bothering to paint something interesting on the walls.
I still love hearing: "Paging Mr. Morrow, Mr. Tom Morrow, please contact Mr. Johnson in the control tower to confirm your Flight to the Moon."

Meanwhile, I hope that Disneyland learns from Walt Disney World what not to do. Its not all about the quantity. So far they have been able to keep the essence of Walt. Hope they can hold out.

I agree with you over-all. Disneyland is far more intimate and cool.

But uh. . . not sure The People Mover is the example you want to use.

 

[jevs]

I can't vote - I'll have to visit several more times to make up my mind which I prefer

 

[low-key]

I dont want the essence of anything

 

[RedAngie]

I prefer Disneyland, but not because it has the essence of Walt.

Probably the majority of visitors have no recollection as to when Walt was alive. He might as well be Herbert Hoover as far as most visitors are concerned.

 

[fly girl]

I love them both (no shock there) but they both have their pluses and minuses.

If your strictly saying Disneyland versus its counterpart Magic Kingdom, hands down Disneyland wins. Even with the smaller Sleeping Beauty castle.

But I love the World Showcase, HS Tower of Terror is far superior to CA's, and Cali has nothing close to Killimamjaro Safari or Expedition Everest.

Then again, no Radiator Springs Racers in Florida. That's my personal favorite!

I think both are great in their own ways.

 

[Missy1961]

I went to DL once, in 1995. It was the worst Disney trip I had. (I've been to WDW 8 times).

I went to DL with my brother, sister-in-law, their sons who were 4 1/2 and their daughter who was 1 1/2. We had hoped to use the hotel's shuttle to go to DL (my brother was there for a conference, so my SIL & I were taking the kids to the parks) but the shuttles were horribly crowded, so he used the hotel shuttle to go to his conference, while we used the rental car.

The park (at that time only the MK) was crowded and hot. Luckily, the kids were go-with-the-flow kids, so we just took them on rides with shorter lines. And we couldn't go back to the hotel for breaks, so we had to improvise.

But the worse thing on that trip? One of my nephews was wearing a favorite baseball cap but it was kind of small. One day, we noticed it wasn't on his head, and my SIL noticed some teenagers had it. They were sitting eating their lunch nearby, so she could see them with it. But when we asked them about it, they lied. And their mother let them get away with the lie. What they could do with a four year old's baseball cap was beyond me.

And that was the cherry on the top of the awful DL trip. Left me with a bad taste in my mouth, and I didn't see any of the Walt magic there.

 

[tvguy]

I prefer Disneyland, but not because it has the essence of Walt.

Probably the majority of visitors have no recollection as to when Walt was alive. He might as well be Herbert Hoover as far as most visitors are concerned.

I agree with both your thoughts. I can't judge because I have never been to Walt Disney World. But I have to admit I am a Disney snob. Mickey and Minnie and the gang are DISNEY. Woody and Buzz and anything Frozen is fun, but isn't Disney.

Funny thing is, my kids grew up with Toontown and they always have said it just didn't fit in with the rest of the park.

 

[gwynne]

I think both parks have their fans. I liked DL, I love WDW.

 

[Planogirl]

I think that Disneyland is the best overall single Disney park in the US. However there is a lot more at WDW of course so that might make WDW more appealing. I'd gladly go to either one.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I've been to WDW many times, and to DL twice. I did the "Walking in Walt's Footsteps" tour at DL and that was fun and I learned a lot. I did like being there and knowing Walt had actually walked those streets.

But there was a lot I didn't like as well, compared to WDW. When I go under that WDW arch, I feel like I am in a separate world. The parks are surrounded by woods and lakes and rivers. I like that. I like the variety of parks and the beautiful settings. At DL, I didn't like that I could see "the real world" in the background behind the rides. There were lots of rides packed closer together, but less of the gardens and natural scenery that I enjoy. And of course WDW gives me a much bigger variety of things to do - from water parks to safari rides to shopping around World Showcase.

 

[DisneyJules]

As crazy as it sounds, I went to Disneyland several years ago after many trips to Walt Disney World and I didn't find it quite as magical. Which was a little disappointing, seeing as it IS Walt's original park. That said, the historical aspect of the park is something to experience at least once. Now that I'm older I would like to experience again to see if I feel the same way.

 

[georgina]

I really have no interest in the essence of Walt. I enjoy Disney World, it's fun and there is a lot to do there. I don't get the magic thing at Disney, the real magic is in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade at Universal!

 

[lizabu]

I like both but at WDW you are completely in the Disney bubble. At Disneyland you don't have to walk too far to notice you aren't in Disney anymore. At WDW, if you choose, you can limit your experience with the real world to whatever you happen to see out the window on your way from the airport to your resort.

 

[tasha99]

I like both but at WDW you are completely in the Disney bubble. At Disneyland you don't have to walk too far to notice you aren't in Disney anymore. At WDW, if you choose, you can limit your experience with the real world to whatever you happen to see out the window on your way from the airport to your resort.

I do that at Disneyland, too, by staying at VGC. We tend to have shorter stays, but for the 3-5 days we're there, we stay out of the rest of Anaheim.
I like both WDW and Disneyland, but my favorite is Disneyland. I like being able to walk everywhere and I like the old fastpass system.

 

[jdb in AZ]

It's o.k. to love both. I think the biggest advantage DLR has over WDW -- lower humidity. I also like flying to DLR -- an hour on the plane is much better than an all-day flight to Orlando.

 

[superme80]

I have only been to Disneyland. If someone would like to take me to WDW I will happily do a very detailed report comparing and contrasting the 2.

 

[E&Cmom]

I have only been to Disneyland. If someone would like to take me to WDW I will happily do a very detailed report comparing and contrasting the 2.

Same!

 

[NHdisneylover]

For attention to detail and craftsmanship and truly beautiful theming in every tiny detail that I think Walt would just love if he coud see it---DLP's Disneyland wins hands down in my book (followed by DL then MK at WDW).
Each park has its own unique feel though--which I love. I prefer them to not be all the same thing just in different locations.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I love WDW, but have never been to DL to compare. (Someday I'll get there!)