Disneyland Vs. Disneyworld

[mattmc]

I've never been to Disneyland. I've logged over 20 trips to Disneyworld, though. I honestly have no desire to go to Disneyland or California Adventure. I'm not sure if it's because I am such a big fan of Disneyworld or what, but rides like the matterhorn just do not have an appeal.

That being said, is Disneyland less popular than Disneyworld overall? If so, what do you think the reason for this is?

 

[catra121]

I just got to go to Disneyland last week (both parks) and I am a die hard Disney World fan. I enjoyed the parks...especially Disneyland where I could ride a lot of classic dark rides like Pinnochio, Mr Toad's Wild Ride, Snow White's Scary Adventure and Peter Pan's Flight. Last year I got to ride Alice in Wonderland but it was down for refurb last week. I love the classic dark rides so this is a lot of fun for me. Peter Pan in also slightly different and I love what they do with the lights there.

Small World is also, in my opinion, much better at Disneyland and I LOVE finding all the Disney characters in each scene. And then there's Pirates of the Caribbean that is a lot longer and a better than the one in Disney World.

We saw Fantasmic and then watched Magical from the same location and that was really enjoyable too.

I do think that the Disneyland parks have a different feel from Disney World. I just like Disney World better...I like the whole vacation feel at Disney World and being inside that Disney bubble. Disneyland and California Adventure just don't have the same magic for me. I enjoyed my visits but don't feel that NEED to return like I do at Disney World.

 

[sonofanarchy]

Not sure what you mean by less popular. If you mean attendance wise, then yes, but you've got 2 parks compared to 4. Disneyland's attendance is just short of the Magic Kingdom's. California Adventure is just behind WDW's other 3 parks.

WDW is more of a destination I would say.

I've never been to Disneyland either, but the general consensus seems to be that Disneyland is much smaller than the Magic Kingdom, however, it is taken better care of, and the rides found at both parks seem to be either slightly better at Disneyland or much better at Disneyland. Plus, Disneyland has many more attractions than the Magic Kingdom has.

 

[Outonarun]

Briefly, its the old 'apples and oranges' comparison: quite different from each other in countless ways, but both fruit

 

[DisneyFive]

I haven't been to both, only WDW. My sister and her family have been to both though, and she liked WDW FAR better.

It's definately Walt Disney WORLD for a reason. It's huge, with so much more to do than DL. For my sister, DL was a visit whereas WDW was an all encompasing vacation.

...opinions may vary...

Even for Walt himself, WDW was the do-over. He didn't like being land locked and not having control of the businesses and such surrounding DL.

Dan

 

[teambeaman]

I grew up in SoCal and had an annual pass to Disneyland for most of my life. I prefer most of the rides at DL and DCA to their counterparts at WDW. I also like the closeness of the 2 parks because it makes park hopping easier. That being said, now that we live in CO, I prefer going to WDW for a vacation because of the "resort" feel, but we still go to DLR whenever we take a trip home.

 

[Chuckers]

Disneyland is WAY more of a local's park, more along the lines of a 6 Flags (although MUCH better than a 6 Flags), whereas Disney World is a big time vacation stop.

They each have a different feel of the same theme. DL is much more compact and easier to get from one end of the park to the other. Plus, you can walk between DL and DCA and DTD.

 

[PAGAS]

We have had the Premier Passports for a couple of years and I really love both parks. I grew up going to WDW, so that is what I preferred, but once CarsLand opened and WDW enacted FP+, I started to prefer DLR. You can grab dining reservations easily, take a last minute trip and still get to ride everything and it is usually cheaper. I also am spoiled by the food and merch discounts at DLR with the AP. WDW discounts are few and far between.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

I've been to both parks and love them both for different reasons. As a PP stated, it's nice to be able to go non old classics like Snow White Scary Adventure and Mr Toads. I personally like DLs Space Mountain, IaSW and PoTC better than WDW. It gives me a warm fuzzy to be able to walk where Walt walked....oh and Tigger Tails...how could I forget my fave treat in DL. I love WDW b/c as others have stated it's so big and always something new to try. But I really can't say I love one park over the other b/c I love them for different reasons.

 

[goin' again!]

I too was a die hard WDW fan until we moved 30 minutes from Disneyland last year. I was hesitant to go the first time, wanting to love it as much as WDW and not wanting to be disappointed with my new 'home' park. It took me a few visits to get over the shock of the differences between the two Disneys. DL is MUCH smaller, much easier to navigate and easier to hop between the two parks. This smallness makes it a much less stressful park to tour IMO. No park transportation, just a 3 minute walk across the plaza to get to the next park. That is a welcome difference!

DL has the Disney magic and pixie dust, just as WDW, but it is really neat to know that this is the park Walt walked in. This is the castle he envisioned. This is the train he rode in... I know this doesn't mean much to some people. It didn't to me until I experienced it for the first time. It's true that the park is more 'quaint' where WDW is more 'grand'. DL is definitely a locals park which I think accounts for a lot less vacation feeling while you're there.

All that being said (and over 60 visits to DL in 10 months) I have found things to love about both parks. I can't say I love one more than the other they are just too different to compare that way. As PP said, "it's like comparing apples and oranges". I suggest to all the WDW lovers to give DL a chance. You might just find the Disney magic on the west coast too!

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

We never have either, but I've been on the DLR boards and there are a lot of WDW Veteran experiences and comparisons. For a few reasons, we have decided to give DLR our next vacation probably early Dec 2015.

The general comparisons seem to be that WDW vets are used to a BIG WIDE exclusive Disney World resort area. When you get to DLR, its literally in the middle of a city, which can be underwhelming for some who are used to driving under all the WELCOME TO DISNEY WORLD RESORT signs etc.

However, some people choose to see this as a plus. For many WDW vets, staying on property makes the trip much easier in that you can come and go, be close proximity, and enjoy extra hours etc. However, if you don't stay on property, this can be somewhat of a logistical challenge, especially if your hotel doesn't have good shuttle times or no shuttles, etc. In DLR, Disney only has 3 hotels considered ON property, but they have a whole host of Disney Neighbors that you can book right on the DisneyLand site and get basically some of the same benefits. Additionally, any 3 day hopper gets at least 1 day Magic Morning hour, as opposed to only property guests at WDW getting extra magic hours. If you stay at one of their 3 hotels, you can have them every day, same as WDW, but its not a requirement to get at least one. (This can help because I think AP holders don't get the EMH, and in CA, there are a lot of them.)

So basically, you don't have to stay RIGHT ON PROPERTY to get all the logistical benefits of coming and going as you would like to. They also say that DTD is super close, and here is a big plus: hopping they say takes less than a minute. You go in one gate and through the other. That means they go back and forth to take advantage of FPs etc (the parks aren't linked so you can hold them for both), and it isn't not very difficult to get back and forth. We spend a lot more time at WDW hopping in transit to the parks, I think a lot of times we underestimate it. I've even been stuck on monorails just sitting at the hotels for 20 min when we were only going from MK to EP, and then you have to switch at the Ticket Center, and don't even get me started on the last bus station stop at AK to hop to EP and how long it took for an EP bus to come...

They say that California Adventure struggled somewhat when opened, however, they have updated it to be a sort of Hollywood Studios model and look, which HS is our favorite, so that will suit us just fine. I can't remember which park has which, but it has a lot of Pixar things that WDW doesn't (Carsland, Monsters ride, Nemo subs). Not only does it have new rides that we don't, it is the clear winner on several World vs Land: POTC is clearly beloved at DLR, Space Mountain has all new track. (Somethings at WDW are better, ToT etc.) Add to the fact that they still have ALL of our favorites, and I've seen some Marvel Ironman tie-ins at their Innoventions, I've heard talk of them having Turtle Talk, Radiator Springs Racers being like their Test Trak, Soarin of course, TSMM isn't as big a deal with so many Pixar rides so the line is like 30 min, they even have their own RnRc California Screamin'. Dinoland becomes Indiana Jones, so excited about that too. They still have animation classes. There is a lot more going on then just the Matterhorn. Additionally, their World of Color show appears to be spectacular and they still have Fantasmic (no arena). They still have A&E and parades etc. They currently have a Rapunzel show that I am really hoping is still there when we go next year!

So everything we are seeing so far is a plus:
-Easier hotel and transport back and forth
-Easier hopping back and forth to both parks
-Almost as many rides as WDW, but located in 2 parks instead of 4
-NO FP +!!! I know there are some loopholes (some of them are out of the loop meaning you can hold a few at a time, the CA people know which ones they are) and you can hold FP for both parks at the same time, but it does require the sneaker method (going to the FP terminal) and not all rides have FPs. Still, not having FP+ tier limits and having to wait 80 min for TSMM!

Basically, if you love resorts, this may not be your place (although you can spring for the $$ for the nice ones on property if you want). But if you love to ride and ride, and avoid the peak days and holidays when so many locals go, I think you can get a lot of rides in. Someone posted that they could get 25 rides a day, which is how I'm used to WDW being (expect this year, obviously.)

We LOVE LOVE LOVE rides, and pretty much the only thing I think I'll miss this time is my beloved SSE and Showcase (both of which we got to do the last few trips in the last few years.) Otherwise, I'm looking forward to fresh scenery and all our favorites and easier access to them. At least that is the plan. I can't start planning it yet because I have to go after Election day (I work in broadcasting and Political Elections are killers), so it puts me about 18 months out but we are looking for probably the week after Thanksgiving next year.

That will give me time to get my Disney Rewards up, pay off some of this last trip (get 6 months interest free), and finish our flight rewards (we need about 12k more). We still get benefits like the free photo character session in DLR too being reward holders.

My BIGGESTT PLUSPLUSPLUS for WDW was eating like QUEENS gluten free this year. I haven't heard a lot about GF from posters at the DLR, but it being California, one would hope they are used to accomodating GF...I hope so...

So I hope that helps OP to see why people would even think to go to that 'other' Disney...

Oh yeah, on a side note, I also heard that Harry Potter won't be opening at Universal Hollywood until about 2016, and that is one of the reasons we have deliberately avoided Universal Orlando. USH still has Transformers, Simpsons and Minions, but no HP! So we are going to fit a day in there too before Harry Potter arrives.

California is looking like all pluses so far to me!

 

[PinkBudgie]

I'm a DLR vet going to WDW for the first time in a few weeks. So far in planning I can see that DLR has the advantage because you can stay off site for way cheaper and then walk to both parks in about 10 min.
You don't need to make ADRs 6 months in advance. AND when you do make an ADR that doesn't mean you are locked in to that park for the day or half day. You can go back and forth quickly many times during the day and then easily make your ADR. Or walk up to most places without an ADR.
You also have the choice of any ride during the day at DLR. At WDW we can't decide to go on TSMM, then POTC, then have lunch at DTD, then head over to TOT like we might do at DLR.
That said, for the first time DLR visitor, I do recommend doing research. I've seen WDW vets become disappointed with DLR because they expected it to run like WDW and they missed out on things.
I'm so excited to see WDW and it looks like so much fun, but boy is it a lot of work planning where we will be at what time 6 months ahead of time! I think it is fun to see different Disney resorts. But if someone has no interest in DLR, and they love WDW, nothing wrong with vacationing at WDW every year.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

I have always been a Disney World girl and never really had a desire to visit Disneyland. When my husband finished his PhD, he really wanted to take a trip to Disneyland to celebrate. I started doing research like I would for WDW and found myself getting pretty excited.

As people have said, they are two very different atmospheres. Personally, I noticed a big difference in both the clientele and cast members. I enjoyed both at WDW more. I find the cast members to be more personable at Walt Disney World. I noticed that most at Disneyland are from the Los Angeles and surrounding areas. I really enjoy meeting people from all over the country and world at WDW. The guests were different at Disneyland, as well. Most of them were locals and they didn't seem to be as.... into it (I guess, really can't think of how I want to say it) as the guests at Disney World. Don't get me wrong. They were happy and having fun and all that, but at WDW, the guets really seem to be on a true vacation. You got the vibe from the Disneland guests that this was more of a weekend getaway. I don't know. It's hard to explain. Please understand that I'm not saying that the guests were in any way, shape, or form unpleasant. They were just different. Also, about WDW, I absolutely love that you are surrounded by all of the magic. At Disneyland, you have an IHOP, pizza place, and other hotel literally right across the street. It's not as surrounded by magic as Disney World. I really did miss Epcot, as well. Animal Kingdom is my least favorite park at WDW, so I was okay that they don't really have anything comparable at Disneyland.

That said, I loved Disneyland and am already planning another trip there. There's something so special about walking where Walt walked. I loved seeing the light in the firehouse. I enjoyed the Matterhorn because of how classic it is. Space Mountain is, in my opinion, significantly more fun at Disneyland. My husband loved Indiana Jones and actually prefers the Disneyland version of Splash Mountain to that at Disney World. The food is not as good, in my opinion, but they do have some pretty tasty treats all on their own, such as the tasty skewers at Bengal Barbecue. I loved eating at Carnation Cafe and seeing all of the photos of Walt dining exactly where I was sitting. I loved that many of the menus had a section called "Walt's Favorites". The restaurant inside Pirates is absolutely breath taking. Disneyland is a bit harder to navigate than I was expecting because it is very similar to Magic Kingdom, but also different. You will think that a ride is one place and that's not where it is. Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain are great examples of that. Of course, if I were used to Disneyland, I'd be able to have this exact same complaint about Magic Kingdom.

California Adventure is something to behold. Now, I say this as a person who absolutely loves Hollywood Studios and considers it to be my favorite park: California Adventure is everything Hollywood Studios should have been. I'm not saying that it has the same theme that Hollywood Studios has (though it is similar), just that it is beautifully and wonderfully themed and very detailed. From Buena Vista Boulevard to Paradise Pier, from Golden State to Hollywood Land, everything is themed. And you have no doubt what the theme is. It just engulfs you in such a positive way. Tower of Terror is different and, if you haven't ridden it, don't spoil the surprise by researching beforehand. Carthay Circle is an absolutely fantastic restaurant filled with great pictures, delicious food, and some of the hardest workers I have ever seen. I love the statue of Walt on the ground as though he is one of the guests just walking around the park. Cars Land is, without a doubt, the best themed area of any Disney Park area that I have been to. You truly feel that you have been transported to Radiator Springs. The movie truly looks like it came to life before your eyes. Radiator Springs Racers, if you will pardon the pun, leaves Test Track in the dust as far as imaginative and fun goes. I can't ride Mater's Junkyard JAmboree without laughing until I'm crying. I love grabbing a treat at The Cozy Cone, and could just spend hours taking it all in - AND I DIDN'T EVEN LIKE CARS ALL THAT MUCH! World of Color is absolutely a must do. I was blown away.

I love the hotels, especially Disneyland Hotel and Paradise Pier. You can walk to either park from any of these hotels. You can watch World of Color from your balcony at many rooms at Paradise Pier. Disneyland Hotel has some of the cutest themed suites I have seen and I love the monorail pool. Tangaroa Terrace also has some of the tastiest quick service burgers I have had at Disney, either park. At California Adventure, you can sit out on your balcony and watch all of the action taking place on the grounds of Downtown Disney. So, yes, Disneyland is much more compact and harder to get surrounded by the magic like at WDW, but it is certainly not impossible. And, unlike at WDW, you can see both parks and Downtown Disney at the same time. That's kind of cool. It should also be noted that this closeness is an added bonus for midday naps or clothing changes. You can ride Grizzly River Run, get absolutely soaked, head to your room to change, and be back in the park in under 20 minutes. We took a midday break twice for a nap. We slept for 2 hours and were only gone from the parks for 2 and a half. That's a nice thing for people who really want to soak up as much Disney magic as possible, but don't want to sacrifice the added sanity that a much needed nap after a 2 hour time change can bring.


So sure, they're different. And there are those who swear by one park or the other. For me, they both bring me so much joy that I can't imagine never going to one or the other. And that is something I never thought I would say 2 years ago.

 

[CounselorX]

I grew up in southern California so I went to Disneyland many times. Disneyland is better than the Magic Kingdom in my opinion, but not better than Disney World as a whole.

Disneyland has most of the rides that Magic Kingdom has, and quite a few of the rides from the other 3 parks in WDW. Most of the rides in Disneyland are a little bit better than the WDW counterpart.

Some things I miss from Disneyland are the Indiana Jones ride, Roger Rabbit's Cartoon Spin, Toon Town in general, and some other more classic rides.

I would like to visit Disneyland again but for a vacation, I would always choose WDW for more of a "vacation feel."

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Thanks for that! ::

The next 1.5 yr wait is going to be murder!

 

[Luv2Run]

There have been many things listed in this thread that I agree with, so I won't go and repeat them.

For me, DLR is the OG Disney park. It's what Walt first dreamt up when he imagined opening a resort, so it feels authentically Disney to me. I'm a bit partial to it, because I grew up nearby in Anaheim, so even when we couldn't visit the parks, I could still see the fireworks and Tinkerbell 'flying' from Sleeping Beauty castle to the Matterhorn every night. My stepdad used to work at the Blue Bayou, so we used to go see him and eat Monte Cristo sandwiches (my all-time favorite Disney food to this day).

That being said, though, I still prefer WDW for a vacation (rather than just a visit, if that makes sense). I feel transported when I'm at WDW. I also like that since it's so vast and they're constantly adding things, I get to experience something new every time I visit. I make a point to eat at one new restaurant per trip. And one thing WDW has that DLR doesn't is the World Showcase at EPCOT. I love visiting the different countries, it's the highlight of my trip.

What's funny is to me, they both feel like 'home', but in different ways.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Disneyland is different. It's smack in the middle of a city. It operates three hotels and two parks. Most of its guests are locals and annual passholders (day guests).

Walt Disney World is a major resort destination with 4 parks, 2 water parks, a shopping district, 25 resort hotels (and that's just the ones operated by Disney) and its visitors come from all over the world and tend to stay awhile.

Big difference between the two.

However, if you go on some of the rides that are at both WDW and DLR, you will find differences in most of them, from vast differences (Pirates, Space Mountain) to somewhat minor differences (Haunted Mansion, Tower of Terror). There are other rides besides Mattherhorn that the two resorts don't share. Like most everything in CA including Carsland.

 

[BrianL]

I am more of a WDW guy, but DL is nice for its own reasons. I did find it to be a little less grand, smaller castle, no welcome show, just a little smaller, and more crowded too. I did feel the food was much better overall, the weather is WAY better in SoCal. The shows at DL are better, like F! and World of Color, BUT the viewing areas for them aren't good as you just have to stand. I feel cleanliness was a tad better at WDW, but DLR was still pretty good.

The Halloween party at DL was mcuh better then the MK one. The way they put the fog on the waterways was so cool, though I imagine the heat and humidity in FL might prevent that there. The Halloween fireworks at DL were much better as well. Parades (halloween and regular) I'll give to WDW for sure.

So, really, they're both great, and both different, which makes them both well worth visiting. I am hoping to get back to DL this year sometime.

 

[JediMasterMatt]

This question is a lot easier to address than most people make it out to be. If you've visted WDW multiple times, searched online and found a Disney Parks fansite, made an account, posted to threads - then the answer to your question is simple, you need to go to Disneyland Resort. You've passed the litmus test by simply getting to the point of asking your question and it's a question that only you an answer - which do you prefer? You won't know until you find out.

Personally, the differences between the two resorts can no longer be just expressed by the social/geographic/historical persepectives. The differences between the two now reflect fundamental differences in how they are being managed by the Walt Disney Company. The One Disney initiative has collapsed into a colossal failure because of path TDO has taken in comparison to TDA. Orlando chose to get out of competing with anyone other than their own past. The MM+ system is designed to take the WDW legacy and trap guests at the resort with reservations made months in advance in an effort to maximize the amount of money that can be extracted from them. No longer does TDO care about show quality or improving guest satisfaction by expanding the parks, the are focused on trying to improve satisfaction by minimizing frustration with their lack of capacity by masking it with their virtual queueing and reservation system. This initiative has gone so far over budget, that the parks are all suffering from show quality being reduced to offset these budget overruns.

The good news is that TDA is still trying to do the right things in Anaheim. Show quality, while not perfect, is much higher. Refurbs aside, the parks both are in great shape.

If you visit DLR, you may come away suprised by how kinetic and alive the parks seem to be. There is so much going on per square foot in comparison to the Orlando parks, that it almost overwhelms your Disney senses. Attractions are numerous and close together, characters are out in the streets and not behind closed doors, vehicles and bands are out and about.

In many ways, DLR these days feels much closer to the way I remember WDW being 15 years ago. Alive and growing and not stagnant or in many cases in Orlando, decaying (poor EPCOT).

So, my 2 cents - book that trip as soon as you can. Then come back and let us know how you feel about it. After all, it's your question that needs answering - which is better for you?

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

I want to hug TDA!