Disneyland to Disneyworld what is the same?

[HaleyB]

We have been to Disneyland more times than I can count. I had SoCal season passes for at least 8 years (don't live ther anymore, boo-hoo, but still visit often). I am about to make my fourth trip to Disneyworld, and what I want to know is this: Which rides are exactly or almost exactly the same? I am thinking we should focus on the rides that are not in California. However it is also fun to go on rides that are the same only different, I think I remember there were a few of those. I searched every guide book I could find and none of them had a Florida to California comparison.

 

[PiperG]

Hi HaleyB,

DH and I are from San Diego and spent a lot of time in DL. Of course, we have not been back in a while, and they were still building CA adventure at the time, so I am sure things have changed.

I can say that WDW (or MK to be precise) does not have the Matterhorn. I guess we were a bit surprised, because that ride seemed like such a landmark to us. Driving up from San Diego, each kid tried to be the first to spot the matterhorn, so it was a big milestone in the trip because that meant you were almost there.

Also, WDW does not have the rocket rods. They still have the old people movers.

Beyond that, I will say that WDW is so much more lush, green and colorful than the MK. The setting seems much more tropical IMHO, certainly becaues of Florida's climate. And, if you stay on property, the experience is so different. We only stayed in the DL hotel a couple of times (it was so easy to do a day trip), but the hotels were not themed like the ones at WDW.

So, there are just a few of my thoughts.

 

[scanmom]

HM- same but better at DLR....POTC-same but better in DLR....HISTA-same.....SM-same.....Splash-same but better at WDW....Country Bears-same, but now gone from DLR..... JC-same....Tiki Birds-changed at WDW....BTMRR-same....Muppets-same...WWTBAM-same....that is all I can think of right now. I like DL better than MK, but I LOVE Epcot and the whole"surrounded by the magic" feeling you get at WDW!!!

 

[AKASnowWhite]

Continuing with scanmoms thoughts.....these are my additions...

advantage DL/DCA....
Small World & Haunted Mansion (were both set up for Christmas when we were there)
Space Mt....different cars, better ride
Indiana Jones....TOTALLY different
Soarin'....NOTHING like it at WDW (yet)
California Screamin'.....we liked it better than RnR, 'cause you could SEE when you were gonna flip.....
Roger Rabbit
Mr. Toad
Storybook Boats
Alice in Wonderland

Advantage WDW.....
Kilimanjaro Safaris (well, really ALL of AK, except that new carnival style area in Dinoland - CHEESY!)
Epcot World Showcase
Innoventions (HUGE advantage to WDW here.....)
Mission:Space
Test Track
Spaceship Earth
Monorail system
CINDERELLA'S castle
Fantasmic
lluminations
more bathrooms!


well there. I guess they BOTH have a lot going for them! WDW is just so much more spread out than DL/DCA. It's not quite as easy/quick to park hop....we loved BOTH places - not one more than the other, but differently. I'm sure you'll have a great trip!

 

[scanmom]

Were you not able to see Fantasmic! at DL? IMO it is a much better show than the one at WDW. I think that having it on the ROA really adds to it, and the Sailing Ship Columbia is soooo majestic!

 

[Bimmy56]

I agree with all of the above, except that Pirates is ALOT better at Disneyland. Because I am used to going to WDW, our trip to DL was really surreal, almost like being in a dream, as everything was familiar, yet very different. Things were the same, but didn't look the same, if you know what I mean.

 

[dgaston]

Here's a vote for Fantasmic at WDW. Last week, even my DL expert brother and his family appreciated better fountain effects, and liked it better than Fantasmic at DL.

Some of these are bound to differ, since they are opinions!

 

[manchurianbrownbear]

Great thread!

We are tentatively planning a couple days at Disneyland as part of big 2005 western US vacation. We've been to WDW twice in the last three years and haven't been to DL since 1991 and that was without kids. I was a little concerned the kids might be disappointed in DL when comparing it to WDW, but this thread has restored my hope!

 

[AKASnowWhite]

I too was afraid that we would experience a *let down* at DL/DCA after all of our WDW trips.....but just the opposite! I can't say enough how much we LOVED IT!!! We stayed at the Disneyland Hotel - so we were immersed in the whole Disney atmosphere (which I do belive makes more of a difference there.. ) We spent 4 days/nights there and enjoyed every second of our stay.

We also had a GREAT time comparing the DL/WDW rides! Oh - and if you can, eat at the Blue Bayou restaurant....the atmosphere is SOOOOO cool! It's as if you are sitting on the patio of an old Southern plantation, looking out over the Lousiana bayou.....and the boats for Pirates of the Carribean go floating past as you dine.

ahhhh....now I want to go back to DL.......dh is gonna LOVE this..

 

[westjones]

Thanks for starting this thread!!!!

We are going to DL in April, and I have to admit that I have been afraid of a 'let down' since we just love WDW (we are DVC members!).

DH has a convention in San Diego, so we are going the week before and heading up to DL.

We are also thinking of going to Universal Studios while we are there. We have never been to US in Orlando (just can't give up a day at WDW), but we wanted to do the studio tour.

Anyone from CA have any comments on this place? Is it worth a visit? Is one day enough?

Thanks!
DJ

 

[AKASnowWhite]

We went to Legoland while we were in S. California. We enjoyed that alot as well. Definitely a 1 day deal. Didn't do Universal - DH's aunt lives in Pasadena so we spent time with her...she showed us some *famous* spots around L.A. (Her neighborhood & her HOUSE are *featured* in the David Spade movie Dickie Roberts child star...... )...visited Muscle Beach (Venice) & Chinese Theater/Hollywood Walk of Fame....past the homes of the rich and famous.....there is just SO MUCH to do in that area....definitely something for everyone. I had wished we had more time - I would have loved to go to one of the Missions....

 

[Grog]

Also, WDW does not have the rocket rods. They still have the old people movers.

The Rocket Rods are gone now. I had a guidebook for 2001 listing them, but by the time I got there in August of that year they were gone. Apparently there were technical problems that could only be fixed by putting in a whole new track.

We are also thinking of going to Universal Studios while we are there.

We went to Universal on our last trip. Overall we weren't too impressed with it, but did really enjoy the tram tour and the Jurrasic Park ride. I think at the time we were a bit bummed because the main reason we went was so that my SO could ride ET (she's a big ET fan), but when we got there we found it had closed permanently three weeks earlier. They are building the new Mummy ride in it's place. We've decided that we will probably go to USH again because we wanted to see the shows we missed, and also to check out CityWalk (their version of DTD) which looked pretty cool from what little we saw of it. We had to give most of it a miss as we had to catch a shuttle back to DLR.

 

[Straitlover]

I liked Universal Hollywood waaay better than the Orlando one. The backlot tour was the best part, since they had the real houses that were in the various shows. USO doesn't have that.

 

[ryley26]

I have to take the other side of the coin .I found DL very disappointing. cindy castle was rent controlled too small to get pictures when trees tower over it . the staff was not as pleasant or enthusistic as wdw. pirates is much better that i'll give you . Mk doen't have new orleans street which i found very nice. three of us all disney vets all thought MK better maybe just personnel preference.

 

[daannzzz]

Items that are virtually the same at both parks are...

Dumbo (missing the fountains underneath at WDW)

Big Thunder Mountain (is very similar but has a few different sights and a couple spots where the track is different)

Tea Cups (at WDW it is under a canopy and has the teapot?doormouse in the center)

Star Tours (approaching the building is different, once inside it is the same.

Haunted Mansion (The buildings are way different. The first part of the ride is different but then settles in to the same story. Ending configuration is different.

Winnie the Pooh (These two rides are similar even though the storyline is changed around and there are some different views, it still felt very much the same. This is probably due to the fact that they are both fairly new and I haven't ridden them 40-50 times!)

I always try to ride most everything (Not Dumbo or Astro Orbitor or Autopia) because while many things are similar, they are not exactly the same and it is fun to see what the imagineers tweaked and try to figure (sometimes no hard to do) why they changed it.

 

[AKASnowWhite]

Originally posted by ryley26
I found DL very disappointing. cindy castle was rent controlled too small to get pictures when trees tower over it .

MK at WDW has Cinderella's Castle.....DL has Sleeping Beauty's Castle. Really, not supposed to be the same thing.