As an experienced DisneyWorld traveler the Disneyland Edition of the rides are MUCH better.

[TiggerTrigger]

We were there in December and I hear ya on the crowds. That's not to say WDW doesn't get crowded, but DL's smaller scale makes it much harder for it to handle crowds. We were there over Christmas and the line to PotC was always so long that it extended down past Haunted Mansion and good luck figuring out where it even started because there was no designated place for a line this size to go. BTMRR had similar issues. We saw HM in holiday mode, which we didn't really like (well, minus my 7 yr old), so we left DL missing WDW's version...even with the Hat Box Ghost.

I will firmly agree that PotC and IASW (even in holiday mode) were far superior to WDW's. As much as I love both attractions, I don't know if I'll ever look at them the same way again.

The FPs is where I would disagree. While I like certain conveniences of FP+, especially having tickets, CC info, and FP+s loaded onto my MBs, being back in the legacy FP system at DL made me realize just how much I hate FP+.

Ultimately, I think DLR is great and I'd gladly return, but I'll always be a WDW person because nothing (to me) beats being inside the magic bubble.

 

[larryz]

It's easy to bounce back and forth.

I think that's one of the most distinctive differences between DLR and WDW -- you can walk back and forth between the two park venues literally in just 5 minutes. Park hopping at WDW can involve (depending on the size and mobility of your group) a logistics puzzle that would have had Patton surrendering to the Germans.

 

[PoohsFan1]

We are WDW vets who are going on their second trip to DLR in June. I have to agree with the OP that there are many rides that both WDW and DLR have but are much much better in DL Park. Like the OP, I absolutely loved Pirates, Space Mountain, and Small World at DL much more then at WDW (however I still ride them at WDW and I still enjoy them). However, Splash, Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, and BTMRR is much better at WDW then at DL (sorry figment_jii the BTMRR in WDW seems to be a bit more hilly then the one at DL Park, which is what I absolutely love about that ride, however the ending of the ride at DL in the cave is much much better then the WDW version). I like Splash much better at WDW because the ride seems slower then the one at DL, plus I like to sit side by side with your riding partner then in a line, now my kids and DH will differ on this because they think Splash is much better at DL because they feel it is more of a flume ride where you get more soaked and it feels faster. As for Jungle Cruise, it is basically the same ride but I like the tunnel in the WDW version better. Another thing I absolutely love about DL compared to WDW is that they have rides that are now extinct in WDW but are still running in DL...for instance I used to love Mr. Toad's Wild Ride when I was growing up and was very disappointed when they switched it to the Winnie the Pooh ride (so happy to go on that again, even though I do love Pooh and the gang) and the same goes with Snow White's Scary Adventures (wasn't as big of a fan growing up, but it is still a classic that you can't ride).

As for the Legacy FP at DLR compared to the FP+ system at WDW, we actually liked the being able to use the Legacy FP+ while we were in DLR on our first trip, it brought back so many memories of running to get the FPs and being able to pull as many as we can in a day. We were experts when they used to have it at WDW, and we were able to use that to our advantage when we went 3 years ago (we were there the second week of June so it was crowded). Don't get me wrong, we haven't had any issues with the new FP+ system, it works well for us, but we just prefer the old school way of doing it better.

 

[sunshine1]

Peter Pan is better at Disneyland.

I prefer WDW Splash Mountain though.