VGF or VDH?

[CarolynFH]

I've never been so I wasn't sure. Seems like most people that I talk to say how much smaller it is. Maybe they are thinking of all the other parks at WDW and combining them.

Disneyland the park has more rides than MK but fits them into a far smaller footprint.

 

[sethschroeder]

DL is larger than WDW MK?

Yes more rides from what I understand

https://allears.net/magic-kingdom/magic-kingdom-florida-disneyland-california-comparison/

 

[NVDISFamily]

I've never been so I wasn't sure. Seems like most people that I talk to say how much smaller it is. Maybe they are thinking of all the other parks at WDW and combining them. We would like to visit someday, but probably won't add on at VDH although I would love to because it looks awesome.

Disneyland is much smaller, but for efficiency, charm, theme, etc. I'd have to say it's a much better experience than any single park at WDW. I'd also argue that you can really say that Disneyland + California Adventure are so close, it's kind of best to treat them as one park (park hopping FTW).

For us, I'd say the real winner at MK is the large castle.... it's impressive. We are taking our daughter there for lunch on the trip in a few weeks. We are very excited to do that.

We need to try a few more things, but I'd say quick service dining is better at Disneyland resort. There are a few notable wins at WDW we liked. Some of the treats at EPCOT (school bread was awesome). Also, the sausage gravy tots at the Friar's Nook were a guilty pleasure I have to admit I liked... @MrsNVDISFamily was very sad to hear they don't have the veggie version of the Ronto Wrap at HS (this needs to happen!!!). It's also a perk that you get the DVC discount on a majority of the quick service options at Disneyland Resort too.

 

[DonMacGregor]

Disneyland the park has more rides than MK but fits them into a far smaller footprint.

It's one of those weird things. In some dimensions, MK is bigger than DL, and in others it's not. A lot has to do with the fact that not having a berm allows for a more irregular shape.

We did this exercise once before, and it's actually quite interesting:

In DL, the distance from the train station to the castle drawbridge is 945 feet. In MK, the same distance is only 21 feet, or the width of a two-car garage further (966 feet), even including the massive castle stage. That one was surprising.

If you measure across the widest part of both parks, using the railroad tracks as your boundary, MK is about 2,800 feet wide, whereas DL is 2,200 feet wide. This one was surprising too, but the because the width isn't the dimension that seems bigger.

If you measure from the train tracks in front of the Main Street Station to the furthest most point away, it is 2,100 feet to the furthest onstage part of Toontown, but it's only 1,800 feet to the bathrooms next to Gaston's Tavern. DL is 300 feet bigger, front to back.

Disneyland has about 100 acres inside the berm, plus the Galaxy's Edge and Toontown additions (it was originally only 85 acres), whereas Magic Kingdom occupies 107. Sure, WDW is massively larger than DLR (42 square miles versus 500 acres, but the two castle parks aren't much different in size (although the castles themselves sure are).

 

[take36]

Disneyland is much smaller, but for efficiency, charm, theme, etc. I'd have to say it's a much better experience than any single park at WDW. I'd also argue that you can really say that Disneyland + California Adventure are so close, it's kind of best to treat them as one park (park hopping FTW).

For us, I'd say the real winner at MK is the large castle.... it's impressive. We are taking our daughter there for lunch on the trip in a few weeks. We are very excited to do that.

We need to try a few more things, but I'd say quick service dining is better at Disneyland resort. There are a few notable wins at WDW we liked. Some of the treats at EPCOT (school bread was awesome). Also, the sausage gravy tots at the Friar's Nook were a guilty pleasure I have to admit I liked... @MrsNVDISFamily was very sad to hear they don't have the veggie version of the Ronto Wrap at HS (this needs to happen!!!). It's also a perk that you get the DVC discount on a majority of the quick service options at Disneyland Resort too.

While not serving the same purpose, the monorail at DL drops you inside the park! How cool is that!

But the daily fireworks at WDW is just so good and CRT, you can't beat that!

 

[DonMacGregor]

While not serving the same purpose, the monorail at DL drops you inside the park! How cool is that!

But the daily fireworks at WDW is just so good and CRT, you can't beat that!

Disneyland Forever was, hands-down, the single best fireworks show EVER. Celebrating the 60th Anniversary along with Paint the Night, the projection mapping down the full length of Main Street (the largest ever), the incorporation of the Fantasmic water screens on the Rivers of America, the list goes on and on... (and yes, I've seen and do love Happily Ever After).

Disneyland Forever

Flame away everyone...

 

[take36]

Disneyland Forever was, hands-down, the single best fireworks show EVER. Celebrating the 60th anniversary along with Paint the Night, the projection mapping down the full length of Main Street (the largest ever), the incorporation of the Fantasmic water screens on the Rivers of America, the list goes on and on... (and yes, I've seen and do love Happily Ever After).

Disneyland Forever

Flame away everyone...

Ah yes I LOVED Disneyland Forever. But what about Wishes? It's up there for me.

 

[DonMacGregor]

Ah yes I LOVED Disneyland Forever. But what about Wishes? It's up there for me.

Second best for me is Remember...Dreams Come True. Whereas Disneyland Forever leaned into the film history of Disney, Remember celebrated the 50th Anniversary and showcased the history of Disneyland and the rides and attractions.

Remember... Dreams Come True

I think I like the DL fireworks shows better than MK because they seem to carry a more nostalgic theme. Yes, WDW shows feature some wonderful original songs (a strong point for sure), but thematically I often times can't really tell them apart. People seem to remember WDW shows based on the songs, versus DL shows that you remember because of the theme (again, often nostalgic).

 

[Canchaser143]

Second best for me is Remember...Dreams Come True. Whereas Disneyland Forever leaned into the film history of Disney, Remember celebrated the 50th Anniversary and showcased the history of Disneyland and the rides and attractions.

Remember... Dreams Come True

I think I like the DL fireworks shows better than MK because they seem to carry a more nostalgic theme. Yes, WDW shows feature some wonderful original songs (a strong point for sure), but thematically I often times can't really tell them apart. People seem to remember WDW shows based on the songs, versus DL shows that you remember because of the theme (again, often nostalgic).

Remember was amazing!!