Top 5 things that are better at Disneyland than at Walt Disney World

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

We went to Disneyland for the first time a few years ago, thinking it would be our "check-the-box" trip. We'd do it once, and then stick to WDW, which we've visited more times than we can count.

Nope. It didn't work out that way. We discovered that Disneyland has so much going for it that we'll never be "done" going there. WDW will still be our home base and the destination we visit most often, but we'll also be throwing DLR into the mix every few years, too.

Planning our second trip for this upcoming March. I just wish I wasn't still such a newbie with regard to DLR. I can plan a WDW trip with my eyes closed. I hardly know where to begin with the upcoming California trip. It's interesting how different the logistics and planning work between the two destinations. Wouldn't you think that things like Magical Express, Fastpass, dining reservations, park ticket policies, and resort reservations would be somewhat standardized, considering both resorts are part of the same company?

 

[zshellmatt]

We love both! We went to DW for the first time last summer and DLR this summer. We like them both for different reasons. We decided to go back to DLR next summer instead of DW. We love the way it has everything in close proximity and that it has all of the stuff we like from DW in one location

 

[btr2trvl]

Returned home last Saturday from my first Christmastime trip to WDW and I think the twinkle lights on the trees at Disneyland are now a Top 5 item for me. I was shocked how dark it was back in October at my first MNSSHP WDW trip but was expecting those lights for MVMCP and NOTHING. Disneyland's decorations and the white lights that come on at dark and twinkle on every park tree that I remember back to the 1970s surpass anything at Magic Kingdom.

 

[chrisaman]

The number one thing I like at disneyland over Walt Disney World is spontaneity. Not being stuck in having to have dining reservations and fastpass plus reservations really allows you to do what u feel like at all times. However, I do enjoy eating at the resort restaurants at disneyworld resorts. I like having the choice of being able to choose what experience that I want. I don't want two parks that are the same. The differences and pros and cons between the land and the world are what makes disney so great. Neither is better, they are just different.

 

[xApril]

I've gone to WDW since I was a baby. It was all I knew. Growing up, I heard people talking about DL. When I started working, everyone would go on vacations and rave about it. Finally, this month my boyfriend and I made it out there. We only did one day at Disneyland but we're both hooked now. After pretty much every attraction we did, we were raving about so much better it was at DL than at WDW. When we got back home, we went to MK and it was just sad and depressing to see how run down the parks have gotten. Disneyland was clean and everything actually worked. We cannot wait to go back in April for Celebration VII and to do DL again and check out DCA. For us, DL wins out. It was a much more magical trip than any of our hundreds of day trips to WDW.

 

[OKW Lover]

The number one thing I like at disneyland over Walt Disney World is spontaneity. Not being stuck in having to have dining reservations and fastpass plus reservations really allows you to do what u feel like at all times.

Good point! Add to this the ease of park hopping and you've basically got two parks to pick experiences from.

 

[PatMcDuck]

I like both resorts, for many reasons previously stated here.

WDW does some things well, like Star Wars weekends, Flower & Garden (my favorite) and Food & Wine Festivals. I also like the option of Value Hotels, I love the suites at Art of Animation, great option to have Value suites for guests.

I am a DVC owner and there are so many lovely DVC resorts at WDW vs (hard to book)one at DL. (but I also stay at Art of A each fall).

I love DL for many reasons already listed in this thread. I prefer the less frantic atmosphere of mostly local AP holders. They generally are less intent on cramming in every attraction and attending every character meet and greet in one day. It leads to way less kids with autograph books, and more opportunities to see the characters interacting normally with both adults and kids. I love that; they usually do not even have a handler, and they play games and chat one on one with guests, just magical.

I love the DL band too.... Carsland is just gorgeous at night....

I love them both, I really do, and I am lucky enough to see both at least once a year.

 

[mom2rtk]

I saw an "official" count once of "rides" at the two locations. It was very close between DLR and WDW if you're looking at rides alone. That may have been before WDW's FL expansion. But it'd still be close.

I believe New Fantasyland at the MK added ONE net new ride, so no big change there.

I absolutely HATED the distance between parks and the distance from parks to the resort hotels at WDW. I felt like I was wasting so much time on the stupid busses. And there is nothing "magical" about having to wait over an hour to get a bus back to your resort after fireworks at MK or Illuminations at Epcot. Park hopping was just not practical. And for a family of 5, there were no "cheap" options for resorts, the value resorts require 2 rooms for 5 or a suite which was more expensive than staying at POR and the resort was further away. I much prefer walking 5-10 minutes between my hotel and the park, and for less money (talking about the offsite hotels here).

I feel exactly the same way, and that's even with the fact that we never hop at WDW. Just getting to and from ONE park a day is a big time hog.

Over on the WDW Theme Parks board, this topic was also posted with many people responding that the thing that puts DL over WDW is NO Fastpass+!

AMEN to that!