Is Disney World or Disneyland the Crown Jewel of Disney?

[limitdis]

Disneyland was the first and original, but it seemed like Walt wanted to create something better and much bigger with Disney World. Does current and past Disney leadership treat Disneyland as the crown jewel currently?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Disneyland was the first and original, but it seemed like Walt wanted to create something better and much bigger with Disney World. Does current and past Disney leadership treat Disneyland as the crown jewel currently?

Disneyland is typically treated like the unwanted stepchild since WDW was built.

I prefer Disneyland (the theme park, not so much California Adventure).

 

[tvguy]

They are clearly different parks.
I'm not sure Disneyworld is the park Walt wanted. He died 13 months into the project, and 5 years before WDW opened. So most of WDW was planned and built after his death. I think WDW would have been different if he had lived another 5 years.
Disneyland was 100% under his control.
Just seems to me, what park you grew up with shapes your view of what a Disney park should be. And the DIS is largely made up of WDW regulars.
Disneyland is my park. Went to WDW and was disappointed, largely because if so spread out. I spent way too much time in transit at WDW, and too little time in one of the parks.
And while I like California Adventure, I'm not sure Walt would have done things the same way. Even after the changes they had to make spending $1 billion to fix up things that weren't working.

 

[Sykes]

Disney World bears only a passing resemblance to the bigger and better thing that Walt wanted to create so I'm not sure that the historical context there is all that relevant. It does, however, solve some of the problems he wanted to solve (mainly, to allow guests to stay entirely within the Disney bubble).

IMO, they're both crown jewels. Disneyland is the best theme park that Disney has created in the US. It's so densely packed with attractions that walking through Magic Kingdom feels incredibly sparse. (Disneyland also has vastly superior weather.) Having said that, Disney World is immense in a way that is difficult to fathom and is much more appropriate for multi-day trips.

 

[Genie+]

DL is fantastic. As a resort though, WDW wins crown jewel for the variety of experiences within a huge bubble.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Neither. The correct answer is Tokyo Disneyland + Disneysea.

 

[Moliphino]

Neither. The correct answer is Tokyo Disneyland + Disneysea.

Yup. Because OLC isn't afraid to spend money on the parks.

 

[Karin1984]

Disneyland Paris has the prettiest castle. And we have a dragon under the castle.

 

[wabbott]

There's enough of a difference between DLR/DCA and WDW that anyone who likes Disney should visit both. It's worth the trip, in my opinion. But as WDW has so much more to do and see, and has more real estate available for future projects, I would opine that Disney World is the most important. It certainly generates more visitors, and consequently more revenue and profit.

 

[gmi3804]

DL just drips charm from every pore that can't be captured in photos, and the guests have a respect for and love of it that I don't sense at MK. I love MK, but it has a soulless quality that isn't present at DL.

 

[BrianL]

Neither. The correct answer is Tokyo Disneyland + Disneysea.

Yup. DisneySea is the best theme park in the world.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Yup. Because OLC isn't afraid to spend money on the parks.

100% agree in terms of expansions and general attraction maintenance. Their animatronics look brand new, even in the older attractions.

 

[OKW Lover]

Shanghai is the better park

 

[jdb in AZ]

It's all subjective. Kind of like choosing a favorite sports team. Not everyone is going to agree, and that's fine.

DH and I prefer Disneyland because it's closer, less humid, and you don't have to take a bus to park hop and/or travel from the hotel to the parks and back. Yes, some of the hotels are on the monorail line, and that's much appreciated. At Disneyland several hotels are close enough to the parks you don't need a monorail. We especially like the Grand Californian that has its own entrance to California Adventure.

I went to DLR the first year it was open, so that tells you I'm quite old, and now I get around the parks on a scooter. Waiting for a bus after a busy day at WDW is not my idea of a good time, especially when the buses have room for only two scooters and there's often more than two waiting.

 

[VandVsmama]

Disneyland 100%.

 

[Micca]

As an OG Disney guy, I think Disneyland is superior to MK, but the addition of other parks sorta blow the Anaheim resort out of the water. WDW is my home park with dozens of visits, and I've been to DLR only a few times (and DCA just once.)

 

[Magical2017]

Of the two, I would prefer WDW. It's all subjective.

 

[tasha99]

I agree it's subjective. We liked WDW a lot and went there because it can be more economical for a week's vacation, but I prefer DL. From the 6th floor of Grand Californian you can get such an amazing view of California Adventure, and you're right there, able to walk quickly to either park. Disney World is a lot bigger in area, but I swear it feels like DL has almost as many rides, just packed more closely together. I do love them both, though.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I went to DLR the first year it was open, so that tells you I'm quite old, and now I get around the parks on a scooter. Waiting for a bus after a busy day at WDW is not my idea of a good time, especially when the buses have room for only two scooters and there's often more than two waiting.

You forgot to add, "and it's raining (a lot)" BTDT

 

[tvguy]

Of the two, I would prefer WDW. It's all subjective.

I think I would WDW more a second time because we learned that you really need to only go to one park a day instead of park hop like you do at Disneyland.
I also don't understand why Disneyworld parks hours are so much shorter. Today the Magic Kingdom was open 9 am to 7 pm. Disneyland is open 8 am to Midnight. That's six hours less time in the park for the money.