The World vs. The Land...

[go to dw asap]

What's the difference between Disney World and Disneyland? I grew up going to the World. In fact, it wasn't until I married that I learned that the Land was actually a predecessor to the World. Boy was I crushed. I mean, all my anscestors are central Florida cowpokes who pride themselves on pensively pointing in the direction of the World and saying, "See, I remember when that there was nothin' but swamp..."

In the south we drink Coke. If if's a Sprite, it's called a coke. If it's a root beer, coke. Even Dr. Pepper and Tab. Cokes. Pepsi? What the heck is a Pepsi?

As a result, in life, completely unrelated objects, places, people, schools, what have you, are classified as Pepsi and Coke.

For example...Lowe's Home Improvement Center: Coke
Home Depot: Pepsi.

My kid's school: Coke
That other school: Pepsi

TLC's hit show Trading Spaces: Coke
HGTV's wannabe trading spaces shows: Pepsi. (You get my drift.)

Baptist Hospital: (where I worked before kids) Coke
the other guys in town: Pepsi

And so you guessed it. Disney World: Coke. Disneyland: Pepsi.

So seriously. What's Disneyland like? What's the layout? Someone told me Space Mtn. is totally different. Is that true? Are there all the same rides? Different ones? What about Mr. Toad, is he still at Dland?

Remember those Mouseketeers from the late '70's? I watched them religiously. I always believed that they were filming at DW. I have come to realize just by typing this that they were probably (GASP!) at DISNEYLAND!!! Wonder whatever happened to those folks? Of course I'm NOT referring to the '90's version of the MMC, which starred Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera...I think we're all painfully aware of what happened to THEM. Anyway, by the mid '90's I was in my early 20's and had moved on to Saved By the Bell. HA!

 

[go to dw asap]

My father grew up in a real live SHACK in the middle of an orange grove about 40 miles southwest of Orlando, outside a town called Lake Wales. He claims they were very poor. Having seen the shack, I believe him. He didn't have a bedroom, but he slept on the side porch.

On the flip side of that, he DID actually have a monkey. One day, though the monkey ran away. My dad said the last time he saw him, he was swinging through the orange trees into the sunset. After that, Daddy got a pet rock.

My grandmother, who is now 80 and very, very, very, very bitter and crabby, recounts often the tales of the creation of the World, and how they literally thought that Walt was the antichrist.

 

[Chuck S]

Disneyland is smaller in area than WDW. It now consist of two parks, Disneyland and California Adventure. Disneyland is similar to the Magic Kingdom of WDW. There are some ride differences, but generaly most are similar to their WDW counterparts. Some things are in different Parks. For instance, Star Tours is in Tomorrowland. It's a Samll World is more ornate. There are more uncovered outside queues at DL because CA generally has nicer (sunnier) weather and fewer bad storms. Sleeping Beauty Castle is much smaller than Cinderella Castle, no restaurant inside. the castle does contain an old (now seasonal) walk-thru Sleeping Beauty story attraction (formerly an "A" ticket from the old days). Pirates of the Caribbean has a nice restaurant inside the attraction. Again, DL is similar but different than WDW.

 

[DepCor0311]

Here are my general observations on the two different Parks...aka...The Coke and Pepsi, as you put it...

Disneyland is the original and you've got to give it props for that...now that being said...Walt himself realized that when he planned Disneyland, he did not purchase enough land to truely isolate the place and make it a complete escape, so vowing not to make the same mistake he bought TONS of land in Florida...The result is clear, WDW is much more immersive that Disneyland.

To me Disneyland (the park, similar to the MK in layout) seems much more densly packed than MK. There is just less space between attractions. Sleeping Beauty's castle at DL looks like a tiny shack compared to Cinderella's castle at the MK.

I have a great time at both (live about an hour from DL and have an AP). I use DL to take short breaks while WDW is a true, complete escape.

The second park at DL is great, but also does not compare in scope to Epcot or Animal Kingdom. Personally, I think California Adventure is a better park than MGM. Nothing touches Epcot.

DL is a much smaller, and hence, easier to get around. The two park entrances face each other and are seperated by a large "courtyard." On a slow day, you can easily hit all the major attractions in both parks.

Its hard to call one better than the other, because they both have their own strong points. I guess it boils down to this...I visit Disneyland, I vacation at Walt Disney World.
WDW....Coke
DL...Pepsi.

 

[Robo]

What's the difference between Disney World and Disneyland? I grew up going to the World. In fact, it wasn't until I married that I learned that the Land was actually a predecessor to the World.

Its very easy to view the 25 or 150 or 1000 websites dedicated to Disneyland.

Google is a few clicks away.

 

[dizcrazee]

I can't comment on DL...I've never been, but every carbonated liquid is a coke in Mississippi, too! My husband is from Ohio and people look at him strangely when he uses the word "soda".

People say things like..."You wanna coke? We got sprite and root beer." I had no idea that this odd colloquialism extended all the way to central FL!

 

[go to dw asap]

Here are my general observations on the two different Parks...aka...The Coke and Pepsi, as you put it...

Disneyland is the original and you've got to give it props for that...now that being said...Walt himself realized that when he planned Disneyland, he did not purchase enough land to truely isolate the place and make it a complete escape, so vowing not to make the same mistake he bought TONS of land in Florida...The result is clear, WDW is much more immersive that Disneyland.

To me Disneyland (the park, similar to the MK in layout) seems much more densly packed than MK. There is just less space between attractions. Sleeping Beauty's castle at DL looks like a tiny shack compared to Cinderella's castle at the MK.

I have a great time at both (live about an hour from DL and have an AP). I use DL to take short breaks while WDW is a true, complete escape.

The second park at DL is great, but also does not compare in scope to Epcot or Animal Kingdom. Personally, I think California Adventure is a better park than MGM. Nothing touches Epcot.

DL is a much smaller, and hence, easier to get around. The two park entrances face each other and are seperated by a large "courtyard." On a slow day, you can easily hit all the major attractions in both parks.

Its hard to call one better than the other, because they both have their own strong points. I guess it boils down to this...I visit Disneyland, I vacation at Walt Disney World.
WDW....Coke
DL...Pepsi.

"As coroner I must aver,
I've thoroughly examined her,
And she's not only merely dead,
She's really most sincerely dead."
(Wizard of Oz)

Ears off to you, coroner guy; you need lots of short breaks AND escapes.

Thanks for the info.

 

[DepCor0311]

Ears off to you, coroner guy; you need lots of short breaks AND escapes.

Thanks...Love the job...But still love the breaks...Everyone who works hard deserves the breaks...

 

[bubba73]

I went to DL for the first time last year and enjoyed it a lot. It was the same but different. SM is totally different. It is like a mixture of SM and RNR. It is seated 2X2 and has speakers pumping music into your brain as you ride around. (Sounds like the song from the video game "Cruisin'") POC has a little more to it at DL. I actually liked it a lot better. The main body of the ride is the same but the beginning is different. At DL, they have a ride for Indiana Jones that is a lot of fun. The closest thing to compare it to is Dinosaur with an Indiana Jones theme. Plus, tickets are cheaper at DL. I guess because they don't have as much to do. But you can get a one day park hopper at DL for about the same price as a one day regular ticket at DW. I would also have to say that the Castle was a big disappointment. After seeing Cinderella's Castle so many times, Sleeping Beauty's Castle looked like an ordinary house. But with that said, if the opportunity comes up again, I would go back out to DL in a heartbeat. I had a ton of fun!!

 

[Vivianne]

My father grew up in a real live SHACK in the middle of an orange grove about 40 miles southwest of Orlando, outside a town called Lake Wales. He claims they were very poor. Having seen the shack, I believe him. He didn't have a bedroom, but he slept on the side porch.

On the flip side of that, he DID actually have a monkey. One day, though the monkey ran away. My dad said the last time he saw him, he was swinging through the orange trees into the sunset. After that, Daddy got a pet rock.

My grandmother, who is now 80 and very, very, very, very bitter and crabby, recounts often the tales of the creation of the World, and how they literally thought that Walt was the antichrist.

Love your story.

Your father sounds like mine. He grew up in a shack and has fond memories of shack living. If I were the monkey I'd run away too.

 

[go to dw asap]

Its very easy to view the 25 or 150 or 1000 websites dedicated to Disneyland.

Google is a few clicks away.

Yes, but isn't the message board more fun?

 

[go to dw asap]

Love your story.

Your father sounds like mine. He grew up in a shack and has fond memories of shack living. If I were the monkey I'd run away too.

Funny. My dad also has very fond memories of shack living. In fact, whenever we go visit family, we have to ride by the shack. I think last time he did a drive by, the place had been razed. No sign of the monkey, though. Perhaps we should check Animal Kingdom for an elderly runaway monkey.

 

[Samsma]

Hi! We went to DL last Nov. mainly because my Great Aunt lives 5 miles from there, and I wanted to see her one last time- she's 92. Anyway we stayed at DLH, it was nice, but not the magic of WDW resorts. They built the GC for that!

Other than the resorts, which I enjoy visiting, we didn't miss that much not going to WDW. Mostly Test Track. I was really prepared for it to be not as good, but it is much more manageable and just almost as good. The parades were great, the fireworks were even better than Wishes IMHO, some of the rides were better, some just the same. Indiana Jones was very good, and better than Dinosaur. Tinkerbell actually flies from the Matterhorn all around the Castle, not just to it. I had always regretted not riding the Matterhorn as a small child of 8 and now I have done it!!!! I loved DL!!!

 

[Vivianne]

Funny. My dad also has very fond memories of shack living. In fact, whenever we go visit family, we have to ride by the shack. I think last time he did a drive by, the place had been razed. No sign of the monkey, though. Perhaps we should check Animal Kingdom for an elderly runaway monkey.

Just remember if you find the monkey he's NOT going back.

We've been to DL once and although we had a great time, I still prefer DW. DL is definitely alot smaller. We did get to see California Adventure and rode Soarin for the first time which made me glad when they opened this ride at DW.

 

[DebIreland]

On the flip side of that, he DID actually have a monkey. One day, though the monkey ran away. My dad said the last time he saw him, he was swinging through the orange trees into the sunset. After that, Daddy got a pet rock.

I know nothing about Disneyland but wanted to say I thoroughly enjoyed reading your posts. Love your writing style. More please!!

Its very easy to view the 25 or 150 or 1000 websites dedicated to Disneyland.
Google is a few clicks away.

Your post is what we like to call a Pepsi.

 

[Samsma]

Okay- I've got it- I saw an ad for the 100 calorie cans of Coke. Short little cans that have about 1/2 the volume of regular Coke- It's not Pepsi, its just a little less coke!!!

 

[Skroops]

Maybe Disneyland is more like a diet coke? Ah, the same wonderful treat, but less sugar?

 

[HydroGuy]

I grew up near DL and have visited many times. We spent five days there over two trips in 2005. I am planning my first trip to WDW for early May, and will know more about how they compare after the trip.

One thing to point out is the difference in hotel situations and the proximity of DL and DCA (which I would recommend visiting - parkhopping is free for multi-day tickets at DLR). The walk from the DL gate to the DCA gate is about one minute. There are three resort hotels, and a whole slew of "good neighbor" hotels. Some of these are very close to the DLR gate - an easy 5-7 minute walk.

If you get a close by hotel, you can walk everywhere. We never drove our car or boarded a tram or bus for four straight days last summer. That is very convenient. And afternoon breaks are easy to do and recommended.

As for rides, the strong rumor is that Test Track is coming to DCA (in response to an earlier post) morphed into a theme based on the upcoming Pixar movie "Cars". I originally did not like Indiana Jones very much, but after about three or four rides it became one of my top three favorites at DLR. I will miss that at WDW, but am looking forward to some of the other originals there.

The new "Remember Dreams Come True" fireworks and laser show for the 50th anniversary celebration is jaw-droppingly fabulous, but only if you squeeze into the hub with a gazillion other people (we did it and it was worth it). You cannot see many of the effects from outside the hub.

And in California, we called the soft drinks "pop" or sometimes "soda pop".

 

[PatriciaH]

I LOVE Disneyland but have only been 2 times. New Orleans Square is awesome and I wish we had it at WDW. Space Mountain is much better, Pirates is longer and has great theamimg. Fantasyland is much more detailed. I also love the Blue Bayou restaurant. The entertainment rocks too. There is much more live entertainment at Disneyland. Very good quality too. CA Adventure was a lot of fun as well. Downtown Disney looks great and the Grand Californain is beautiful! The fireworks show for the 50th is simply amazing.

As nice as Sleeping Beauty Castle looks for the 50th it pales in comparison to the other castles. I also don't like Main St. as much. Feels very small. I do love the Magic Shop though

 

[Randy K]

Disneyland has the follwing rides that Magic Kingdom or Disneyworld does not have:

Materhorn Bobsleds
Indiana Jones
Casey Jr. Circus Train
Alice in Wonderland
Pinocchio's Adventures
Mr. Toads Wild Ride
Roger Rabbit's Car-toon Spin
Star Tours (Its at Disney/MGM studios in WDW)

Better Versions of:
Pirates of the Caribbean
Space Mountain

Disneyland is better for a One Day Park. Disney World is better for a Vacation.