disneyland vs WDW

[johnvree]

I also found this link: Anaheim to Orlando

--Joe

Great site. Thanks.

 

[oldcrow]

Now that it has been renovated, Space Mountain in Disneyland puts the Disney World Space Mountain to shame. In my opinion.

 

[puggymom]

Resort to Resort WDW wins, hands down. Disney's California Adventure was o.k., but the DL park ROCKS!!!!! I have posted this a couple of times recently but DL is by far a superior park to MK. Mattterhorn, Mr Toad, Roger Rabbit, New Orleans Square, Indiana Jones, All of Fantasy land, Buzz, the railroad, the new Space Mtn is absolutely amazing. The only things that MK has better are the castle and Splash.

 

[WDW2000]

If you were to compare DL to MK then DL wins hands down. Indiana Jones is one of the best thrill rides in the world, and Pirates is so much better in California as is Small World and Haunted Mansion. Also Matterhorn is a must do attraction. Now, if you are comparing the the 2 Disneyland Resorts to WDW then there is absolutely no comparison - WDW wins hands down. I live 1 hour from DL in California and have annual passes to WDW and not to DL Like a previous poster said WDW is a 10 day vacation while DL is a 3 day vacation.

 

[Randy K]

Even though the Magic Kingdom occupies more space there are so many rides missing from Disneyland that it seems much smaller. POTC is literally terrible if you are used to the Disneyland version. There is also no Mr. Toad, Indiana Jones, Materhorn Bobsleds, Casey Jr., Pinoccio, Alice In Wonderland, Storybook Canal, Disneyland also has Star Tours and Small World, Disneyland Railroad, Tiki Room and Space Mountain are also better at Disneyland.
WDW is better as a vacation though due to more parks, more resorts, more restaurants, water parks.

Overall:
Best Park: Disneyland
Best Vacation spot: WDW

 

[Yookeroo]

Even though the Magic Kingdom occupies more space there are so many rides missing from Disneyland that it seems much smaller. POTC is literally terrible if you are used to the Disneyland version. There is also no Mr. Toad, Indiana Jones, Materhorn Bobsleds, Casey Jr., Pinoccio,
Alice In Wonderland, Storybook Canal, Disneyland also has Star Tours and Small World, Disneyland Railroad, Tiki Room and Space Mountain are also better at Disneyland.
WDW is better as a vacation though due to more parks, more resorts, more restaurants, water parks.

Overall:
Best Park: Disneyland
Best Vacation spot: WDW

Yeah. The DLR is great for a long weekend. WDW is great for a week. But Disneyland is a much better park than the Magic Kingdom.

DL's "signature" attractions tend to be better, sometimes significatly so (Splash & the Jungle Cruise are the exceptions). And there's more of them (Indy, Matterhorn, Star Tours, Fantasmic! etc).

DL's fireworks show is much better.

DL has a more A/B/C-ticket type rides (Canoes, Casey Jr Trains etc.).

The MK's dark rides tend to be better, but there's more of them at DL.

DL gets cool Holiday overlays on Small World and the Mansion.

MK's Tomorrowland looks better. But I prefer DL's Fantasyland. And New Orleans Square is cooler than Liberty Square.

The Magic Kingdom has better parades. A much better castle. And handles crowds a lot better.

 

[snusnu]

Here's my take:

Disneyland has a much better Pirates, Haunted Mansion and Small World.

Disneyland has Indiana Jones, which is fantastic.

Disneyland is Walt's park, it's where the great one actually walked - that's a plus no matter what way you slice it.

That said, WDW kicks it's butt.

The main reason for me - the clientele. I found the guests at Disneyland to be rude, filthy and out of control. I was shocked to see that kind of behavior in a Disney park at such high levels. The poor CM's were spinning their wheels trying to keep up with the trash these pigs kept dropping.

It actually was a bit heartbreaking.

But - it's worth a visit at least once. I mean, you gotta see the original if you're a Disney fan.

I beg your pardon! I have been to DL many, many times as a West Coaster and have never had any problem with my fellow guests. Have you read the shock thread? I've never seen any of that at DL. If you are strictly comparing the Magic Kingdom with DL, DL is, in my opinion, the best by far. Yes, the castle is smaller, but Fantasyland is far more beautiful and New Orleans Square mysterious and wonderful. Resort for resort, of course WDW has more to offer because it's so much larger. They are both fantastic for different kinds of vacations, but I would take DL over WDW any day of the week.

 

[Sleeping Jedi Beauty]

What I noticed is that DL rides tend to have more detail in them, especially on Splash and Pirates. In DL, both those attractions tell the story much better and more clearly. Major sections of the DL version are noticeably absent at WDW. I also think the DL Fantasyland is much better on account of more rides and more detailed versions of what rides both parks have, with MK's Snow White being the exception. When we got off Peter Pan, we all noted how much better DL's was. And with Small World, it's not even close.

And as for parades, I thought Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams at Disneyland was far superior to MK's Share a Dream Come True. Dreams has tremendous detail on each float and they all look visually distinct. The castle float at the end is simply amazing. And it's especially worth visiting Disneyland during the 50th Celebration because it's a celebration of Disney history.

 

[foolishmortal]

Thanks again!

 

[Disney Magic]

Our family has been to WDW numerous times, and went to the DLR this year for the first time. If you have children who like dark rides (or if you like dark rides), DL sure beats WDW. DL is really a wonderful park and, IOHM, is better than the MK in WDW. However, we saw and did everything at the entire DLR (except for toddler rides) in three days.

If I had to compare just the MK to DL, DL wins. If I had to compare a vacation "experience", WDW wins hands down. WDW has tons of great food and wine, loads of recreational offerings, cultural experiences, beautifully themed resorts, water parks and more attractions than the DLR. We stayed at the Grand Californian and was quite disappointed, since the rooms were small for a Disney deluxe hotel. We did the "Fantasmic Buffet" and didn't think it was worth the money. We had comparable desserts at a regular buffet at WDW. If you are Disney fanatics like we are, any Disney park is worth the trip. Go and enjoy. DL offers a lot of surprises, and we didn't think DCA was as bad as many think it is...we actually enjoyed it.

Will be go back...no. Were we happy we experienced DL...absolutely.

 

[Melora]

I grew up going to Disneyland and didnt get to WDW until I was in my 30's.

I think pretty much everyone has summed it up that there are rides at DL that are just much better than MK. (Pirates, haunted mansion, toon town). I think WDW as a whole has better/more dining options and I like Buzz Lightyear better at MK because its longer.

I couldnt believe how small DL's castle was when I went back after having been at MK. There is something very magical about DL though. You can just feel the history there.

 

[I'm No Fool]

I think the layout at DL is much better than at MK. The lagoon at MK makes getting from Haunted Mansion to Thunder Mountain a pain.

 

[almacdonald]

I've now been to both WDW and DL, both times as an adult. My next Disney vacation will be to DL. Here are the reasons why:
1-I like the independence of being able to walk to the parks, between the parks, to downtown Disney and back to my hotel without waiting in line for a bus. Park hopping is much more simple when you can see one park's gate from the other! Oh and afternoon napping is much more feasible too!
1.5- MAIN STREET ELECTRICAL PARADE (well, no so "Main Street" anymore, but WAY better than SpectroMagic, and you can get a curbside seat 15 minutes before it starts!)
2-While WDW has more things to see, most of it is stuff that I wouldn't want to do over and over again ie)Shopping at Epcot, boat ride through "the land", stunt shows at MGM, Dinoland etc.
3-MK was my favorite WDW park but it was missing so much stuff that DL has. I LOVE the matterhorn, Indiana Jones California Screamin' and the storybook canal. I also though Fantasyland was quite disappointing at WDW, and the song for the Mad Hatter's Tea Party was ALL WRONG!
4-(Touching on point #1) Major attractions are spread out all over WDW so you'd have to spend a lot of time on the buses to ride Soarin, Splash, TOT and Kali all in the same day. Not at DL! And Grizzly River Run beats the pants off Kali.
5-WDW doesn't have Aladdin. Enough said.
6-I can't justify spending enough money to stay at a deluxe when we use our room for sleeping and showering. I like how you can choose a budget motel and still be right across the street from DL.
7-Theme music, much better at DL
8-Being able to walk up to a restaurant at 7pm and say "I'm hungry" and they say, ok, wait 20 minutes and you can have a table. OR, being able to walk 3 minutes outside of the park to get to a McDonald's which doesn't cost $10/meal.

Now with all that being said, there are lots of things that WDW has over DL:
1-Waterparks
2-Being able to send packages back to your room, I mean, you can do this at DL but fewer people stay at a Disney resort at DL.
3-Charging purchases to your room key
4-I love AK
5-La Nouba, but I dont' think I'd be seeing/paying for that multiple times
6-More restaurant choices but hard to get into a restaurant without reservations and travel times are sometimes outrageous!

I'm sure i'll think of more after I post this but i think the bottom line is "Go to Disneyland". I'm sure you'll enjoy being able to navigate DL on foot, it's a much more relaxed vacation cause you can stroll wherever you please, no transportation worries at all!

 

[LVE_HBRDN]

I grew up in Southern California and went to DL more times than I can coun't (left before CA adventure was built) and have been to WDW on two seperate occasions (Seven day's total between the two vacations).

Overall I like WDW better than DL however I like DL much better than MK. To me MK is missing some of the special touches and rides that make DL special such as the Matterhorn, the castles in Fantasy Land, the Lagoon, Alice in Wonderland, Indiana Jones, Jumbo's Circus Train, Story Book Canal Boats, The primeaval world that you see taking the train from Tommorowland to Main Street, The Toon Town trolly's, Roger Rabit's Toon Town Spin (or whatever it's called), the animals cut out of bushes in front of it's a small world and Mr. Toad's wild ride.

With the exception of Splash Mountain and possibly a few other rides, when Disney copy's a ride they already have they tend to make the second worse. Don't get me wrong I love MK but I just like most things at DL better.

The funny thing is it cost's less to get into DL than it does to get into MK.

Here's a fun roller coaster fact. Did you know that the Matterhorn in DL is the oldest and first steel roller coaster in the world. Talk about a trip through history.

 

[Disney Debbie]

Don't have time to read everyone's reply - but want to give my two cents!

I went to DL and DCA on 1/2/06. I've been to WDW a zillion times(and love it) but since were were in LA for the holiday I HAD to go to the original park. That said - I was disappointed in it. I knew it wouldn't be WDW but even with being prepared for that I was still disappointed. It's just too small and close together. I'm glad I went and I did LOVE Indiana Jones and got to go on a soft opening of Monster's Inc. that was really cute - but I just didn't think it was nearly as well run or as well organized as WDW. I hated the entrance area, I thought the castle looked like a joke!

Sooooo - if you want to go to LA and enjoy other things as well as Disneyland then I'd say go for it. But if I'd planned to go to just Disneyland for my whole vacation - I would have been REALLY DISAPPOINTED!

 

[mikesdisneymom]

no not really 4 X 2 equals disneland is not best [magic kingdom] [epcot] [mgm studios] [animal kingdom]

 

[mikesdisneymom]

sorry I went to this topic so this topic is

 

[G8RFAN]

We went for the first time to DL in 12/05 and also time at US in Burbank. I was "prepped" by many coworkers that have experienced both to be disappointed that everything is not only smaller but dirtier and more "worn down". I don't know if they spruced things up for the Happiest Place on Earth celebration, but I found DL to be cleaner and more sparkling than MK at WDW. As soon as we walked into DL we got to see Fantasia from American Idol. There were whispers about other celebs there that day but we did not see any others. We definitely enjoyed comparing the similarities and differences of the two Disneys. Since my DS is a huge fan of trains, he loved the Casey Jr. ride which is a DL exclusive. I really wish we could have stayed on property, but they were all booked but still booked through Disney and got the Sheraton. Not very empressed. It is an old hotel that desperately needs a complete remodel. US/City Walk in Burbank is a pretty long drive as you have to drive through all of LA but if you do the drive on a weekend, it is not too bad and also really neat how it compares to US in Orlando. We stayed at the Hilton at Universal City and really enjoyed the spectacular view, nice accomodations and the convenience of walking to the park. I am going further OT, but I have to mention the breakfast buffet at the Hilton was the most impressive we have seen with their multi-ethnic offerings. However, my DW and I would probably vote not to go back to DL when WDW is a two and 1/2 hour drive away and our favorite resorts are almost always available.... unless business brings us back to LA again!

 

[tiggersis]

I'm happy to say that both are satisifying, WDW has soo many attractions and things to do and DL has the disney magic.though only gone to WDW once i don't remember as much but i know i had a blast but i've grown up w/ DL. we know shortcuts and things to do on rides that people would never think of. DL has always been the best experiences of my childhood that i will always remember. every time i'm there i see if anythings changed and most of the time it hasn't, and also i wouldn't be the way i am if it wasn't for it, i would much rather DL though but would like the WDW experiece again

 

[djm99]

I went to WDW in 02, 03, and 04. In Summer 05 we decided to go to DL. Because we made a really nice go of Southern California we really enjoyed ourselves. We flew in via Ontaria Airport and went directly Anaheim. We stayed across the street and walked over to DL daily - 3 days. DL is okay, but IMO, it just wasn't "magical" enough. I really enjoyed Small World - that was my first tingle feeling of Disney. I really did enjoy the fireworks. Oh My!! I hope WDW has that same show. It was fantastic. It kind of scared my DD6 a bit when they did part with Jafar and the hunted mansion (they gave the ellusion that Snow White's Castle was stretching). I loved that!!! I enjoyed the POC - it was like 10 minutes.

After 3 nights in DL we traveled down to San Diego. We spent one day in Tijuana, one day in Sea World, and One Day at the San Diego Zoo. Then we drove up to LA. We spent a whole week visiting local beaches, going to sitcoms (we sat as studio audiences for "Love, etc." - which was cancelled and "One on One" which was also cancelled). We went to the GRAUMAN'S Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. We say Jessica Simpson (from a far).. We went to that park (can't remember the name) that gives you a close up of the Hollywood Sign where I swear I saw that " Peter Brady" from the Brady Show - now an adult of course. I shopped in the fashion district and found $20 - how cool is that!!! We also spent a half day in Knotts Berry Farm - first theme park ever!!!!

I purchased the Southern California city pass from Costco's which was $169 for adults and $114 a child (3-9) - I think. The price has changed this year but IMO gotten a little better. You now get 3 days in DL, 1 day in Sea World, San Diego Zoo OR San Diego Zoo Wild Animal Kingdom and 1 day in Hollywood Universal Studios. They took out the Knotts Berry Farm this year. Although I love WDW more, I love California. The weather in July/August was perfect. 80 degrees with a breeze the whole two weeks. It was cold at night, we had to get jackets because my DD6 was too cold. It was also too cold to swim at the beach. But it was nice not have to worry about sweating buckets, needing a nap from the heat, or praying for rain - just so you can bare that Florida summer heat. My DH hates Florida in Summer, but I confinced him once more. July/August - WDW/Universal here we come!!!!