Comparison of WDW vs DL

[Deb & Bill]

We're at DL for our first trip ever (well first for my son and me, my husband went when he was a kid) and have made some interesting comparisons.

The castle at DL is SOOOO small compared to WDW. It looks like it is missing the top floors and turrets.

Main Street is also much shorter in height. Buildings just don't seem as tall.

Everything is so much closer. It's really neat being able to walk out of the GC and walk right into DTD, DL or CA.

I keep looking for things and they're not in the right place (like Plaza Restaurant, Confectionary, etc).

I love the rides out here that are not in FL, like Mr Toad, Pinocchio, Storybookland boats, Matterhorn.

I love being outside when you get on Small World.

We can't find rotisserie chicken anywhere. Anyone know where we can find it in DL? Cosmic Ray's is one of our favorite counter service meals at WDW. But the fried cheese is very good. And the corn dogs have to be the biggest ones I've ever seen. And I can't find caramel corn like at Sleepy Hollow at WDW in the MK. But they did have kettle corn at DTD.

The Aladdin show at CA and Snow White Musical at DL are great. I wish they could bring them to FL.

They definitely need a DVC resort out here in CA. We'd trade our points to stay out here every so often.

It's strange finding Fantasmic in the MK, I mean DL.

We're having a great time.

 

[Diznotyzed]

Smaller castle and all, Disneyland is loaded with charm! Whaddaya think of the Indiana Jones Adventure? Did you go "off roading" on Autopia? Glad to hear you're having fun!

 

[Mickey1122]

We loved DL, but after going to the world so many times it just didn't match up as much as we hoped.

 

[grinningghost]

It's definitely different. I found DL to be much more compact. Like MK Lite or something maybe.

I loved DL's POC, Haunted Mansion, Small World and Indiana Jones.

I HATED Tarzan's Treehouse (see my tag).

I thought the Matterhorn was cool, but not as cool as I always dreamed it was.

DCA's Maliboomer was a rush. Total carnival ride, but fun anyway. The rest of DCA wasn't that impressive, with the exception of Soarin'. I think their TOT is nowhere near as good as MGM's.

I loved GC. Location, location, location. Enough can't be said about that.

ESPN at DTD was great too.

Glad you're enjoying your trip.

 

[Colorado DISers]

We loved the charm and nostalgia of DL and will go back sometime. But, the World is the ultimate vacation spot. They have it all!

 

[Sleeping Jedi Beauty]

It's funny that even though Disneyland is smaller, they've packed a lot more into it than they have at MK.

 

[grinningghost]

We loved the charm and nostalgia of DL and will go back sometime. But, the World is the ultimate vacation spot. They have it all!

ITA. WDW runs circles around DL.

 

[mmmears]

IMHO WDW outdoes DL, but DL outshines MK by far! The original poster left out Indiana Jones (unbelievable) and Pirates (closed now, but twice the ride as MK). Both places have things that make the best -- I'm just glad that there are 2 of them instead of 1 in the US!

 

[snowwhitesmom]

Sorry, but I LOVED Tarzan's Treehouse - and POTC at DL is awesome!

 

[denisekayt]

I posted on a thread similar to this one awhile ago...it was about whether people liked DL or the MK in WDW better, since this is a similar topic, I thought I'd post those thoughts again:

We went to both DL and WDW in 2005...and to choose between DL and MK I like both of them for different reasons, but in the end I went with Magic Kingdom in WDW. Here are some breakdowns of my thought process

- Splash Mountain is MUCH better at WDW in my opinion..not only is a longer ride, but the one in DL seems to "float" faster. You don't seem to have as much time to slowly float and view all the stuff in the logs at DL, and I like the side-by-side seating in the WDW ride better than the single seats at DL.

- I also liked that Splash Mtn and BTMR are next door to each other in WDW. These were 2 of my son's favorite rides and we had the best time riding them over and over again during the parades/fireworks when there were no lines. Since they are spread apart from each other at DL that's not an option there.

- One thing that I LOVE about DL, and really missed in the Magic Kingdom is New Orleans Square. I really like that area and Liberty Square just isn't a substitute.

- POTC is better at DL hands down

- The castle at Magic Kingdom rules! I'm all for bigger, more peaks, etc.

- DL IS more doable than WDW. I DO like it that there is less walking and you feel like you can do more in a day there than Magic Kingdom (not that you really can it just feels that way )

- I preferred Mickey's Country Fair to DL's Toon Town, probably because there was better shopping

- One of our favorites at DL is the Matterhorn...no substitute at Magic Kingdom

- No Mickey's Philharmagic at DL

- I like the outside of DL's Haunted Mansion (the building itself) better than the WDW version, but WDW has a much better cemetary area than DL's, overall this is probably a draw between the two

- I prefer DL's Fantasyland area....WDW's just seemed too straight and narrow for some reason, DL's feels bigger and more rounded (i.e. it feels more like a land instead of a strip)

- DL's railroad is better, I was shocked that WDW's railroad doesn't allow you to stop at all the different parts of the park like DL's does!!

OK, I guess I'll stop now! As stated above, overall if forced to choose I pick Magic Kingdom over DL, BUT I still have wonderful times on our trips to DL and for us since DL is so much closer and cheaper we'll definitely have vacations there.

One last story...after going to WDW I thought I might not enjoy DL quite so much when we went in October...I was WRONG. I had forgotten, the magic still lives there. Sure, the park isn't as big, our ultimate fav Splash Mtn isn't the same, but there's still MAGIC!

We enjoy the intimacy of the DL parks...I can't put it into words just right, but the ability to quickly walk from our hotel room to the entrance of either park at DL and also the feeling that we accomplish so much in our 4 or 5 days there (WDW is so much bigger that I just don't ever get that "completness" feeling...not that I'm really complaining about that loudly mind heh heh heh).

If I had a choice and money was no object? Yes, I'd go to WDW most of our vacations, but for us this isn't an option so we'll enjoy both places...and try to remember after our giant, big WDW vacation that we still love our 2nd favorite vacation spot DL

 

[punkin]

I like them both.

 

[Luv'sTink]

I can't wait to compare!

We have been to DL to many times to count so it has a real homey feel when we go.

 

[disneyguy23]

Disneyland is a 45 minute drive for me and I go about once a week. I realized the other night I spend about 6 months reading Disboards getting prepared for my vacation to WDW and then the other 6 months reading my other message board with information on DL. As much as I love DL I am very jealous of FL residents. I just wish both places didn't have the same cloned rides. It would be nice to go to one or the other and get a totally different experience each time.

 

[Olallamom]

It is very fun to have had the opportunity to compare the two. I was lucky enough to be able to go to WDW last June for the first time. My DH and our 3 kids went and had a joyous time. It was so much fun that my DH and I went without the kids in October for the F&W festival.
Last month we went down to DL with a family that had never been before, it was a ton of fun. My DH prefers DL over WDW due to the fact that he can walk to everything. He has no desire to go to WDW again.
I like both, they are such different places.
The one thing that DL has over MK is the rides are done better with the exception of Splash Mt.
Space Mt, POTC, and Small World are all way better. I also was surprised about how the train didn't make stops like at DL.
That aside, I personally love the resorts, restaurants, Epcot and TOT. WDW is just so much more of an experience than DL. A person could spend a couple of weeks there and never get bored.

 

[Mickey&Donald]

I'm from CA, so DL is my "home" park. For nostalgia alone, I prefer DL. Also, DL is where Walt walked, which makes it most special, IMO.

However, I LOVE WDW, and how much more there is to do there!