Which to visit: DL or WDW

[JenLT]

We’ve only ever been to Disney World (last time 6 years ago) and are planning a trip for December. Now my sister wants us to go to Disneyland and put off the trip a year to wait for Super Nintendo World at Universal. Which is better - DL or WDW?
I've heard good things about Disneyland, but of course it is smaller and does not have Animal Kingdom or Epcot. So what do people who have been to both think of them?

 

[Steven G]

Disneyland Park is actually bigger (in terms of # of attractions) than Magic Kingdom.

DCA has similar events that Epcot has (Food & wine, etc.)

It's extremely easy to park hop at Disneyland.

You don't need to stay at a disney hotel, and still have a short walk to the parks.

It's Walt's park. He was actually there. It has a lot of history.

Many (but not all) of the attractions in Disneyland are better than the equivalent ones at DisneyWorld.

Barely any rain, and not quite as humid/hot (although it can get very hot).

Those are just some of the reasons I would choose DL.

 

[Proud Cheapskate]

#1 reason to visit DL, it's not in Florida.

 

[Mseplover]

Please delete my account

 

[duckboyone]

Every single person I've ever talked to that has done both, has said Disneyland is better than Magic Kingdom, and DCA is better than Hollywood Studios, when compared straight up.

Some have said they still prefer DW because of the additional parks, but a few have also said it's "too much" and they prefer the closer, smaller parks in CA.

I definitely think every Disney fan NEEDS to visit both at some point, and DL is the original so I would do that if you could.

 

[duckboyone]

#1 reason to visit DL, it's not in Florida.

Yeah and the SoCal weather is FAR superior as well...

 

[Mle8308]

Agree with everyone, if you have been to WDW already, wait until a lot of the construction is finished at WDW and things are more back to normal. Go to DL and DCA, you can stay in hotels right outside the parks that are great and generally a lot less than the hotels at WDW. Do their Christmas party if you can. Then visit WDW in 2023. You will have a great vacation either way!

 

[BrianL]

Both are great, though I would caution waitng for Super Nintendo Land. The only known date is "2023," so that could be earlier or later in the year. I would expect by Summer, but hwho knows. If the delay is okay for you, then maybe, but it will open at some point and isn't going anywhere - you can get it next time. The fact is there is always somethign new being built and you could put off your trips indefinitely because of them.

I will still vote Disneyland because you've never been and it's jsut as good, though different, than WDW.

 

[gelatoni fan]

In general, I'd say Disneyland. But if you are planning a longer trip with 5+ days in the park, WDW may become more cost effective and give you more to do.

 

[legler2250]

While Disneyland has more history, arguably better attractions, and park hopping ease, WDW is a much better immersive experience. When entering WDW driving through the gates you have a chance to plunge into a secluded world, especially if you are staying at any number of the amazing resorts. When I am at DL you can hear and feel the outside atmosphere inside the parks which has the ability to penetrate the illusion. While at WDW I can be totally free and clear from outside distractions. However this is just the preference of the travelers.

 

[mouschievous]

We've not been to DL since Covid began, and we've only been to WDW once in Jan 2022, but based on the information we have we prefer DL. In fact, being at WDW made us miss DL so much that we came home and planned a DL trip for July.

 

[PirateBoatDropRide]

While Disneyland has more history, arguably better attractions, and park hopping ease, WDW is a much better immersive experience. When entering WDW driving through the gates you have a chance to plunge into a secluded world, especially if you are staying at any number of the amazing resorts. When I am at DL you can hear and feel the outside atmosphere inside the parks which has the ability to penetrate the illusion. While at WDW I can be totally free and clear from outside distractions. However this is just the preference of the travelers.

I would somewhat simply break it down as such: If you have or want something less than 4 full days and/or want some additional non-Disney, non-theme park time, Disneyland is the place for you. If you have 5+ days and only want Disney stuff, Disney World is the place for you.

Getting more "in the weeds" with the question, Disneyland is the better place if you are into the theme park experience only. Meaning all you want to do is attend the theme parks and do little else. It's just so much easier to get between parks and get to multiple attractions with minimal hassle. Average attractions are the same or better at Disneyland with a few exceptions and much more packed into the parks.

If you want the full bubble experience with good restaurants at the Disney resorts plus other activities around the property (golf, pools, mini-golf, Disney Springs, etc.) and have the time to get from point A to point B to point C, Disney World is probably your place.

I rarely have the time or choose to spend a week in Disney World (as much as I enjoy it) and find Disneyland just more fun and a better use of less days to pack more fun in. Just my 2 cents and YMMV.

 

[xipotec]

First trip to DL ever in August.

cannot wait to visit Walts park.

Plus not having FL August weather to deal
with…..No hurricane nonsense.

We had to go in summer, as we normally go early November. So I am sure we will suffer from some crowd shock, but knowing we can retreat to the hotel across the street will be awesome.

 

[Kit Jackson]

As long as you go in with an open mind and understand that some things will be different, Disneyland can be fantastic. It has CarsLand (which makes you feel like you are in the world of the movie. The theming is incredible) and Avengers Campus (if you're into Marvel), which do not exist in WDW. The parks are much closer together which makes parkhopping pretty easy. If you want to go at a more relaxed pace and still see and do almost everything you wanted, it is easier to do that at Disneyland. In a five day stay, even with taking breaks at the the hotel, you will probably be able to do almost all of the rides, shopping, food, and shows you want to.

 

[PirateBrigade]

It's Walt's park, he essentially carved the dirt, walked the walkways, smoked his cigarettes, rode his bike around. You can't replicate that kind of history, so I'm 100% DLR-biased. I also like the small/intimate nature of 500 acres of park (vs. WDW 27,000 acres), I've power-walked from one end to the other in about 15-20 mins.

 

[JoMarch]

I generally go to WDW because it’s closer to where I live.

However, I prefer DL. There’s just something quaint about it. I prefer the food and snacks and think the rides are generally a pinch better at DL.

Also, the no need for buses, long walking and agreeable weather are an added plus for me.Which adds to not feeling totally worn out and contributes to my overall enjoyment of DL.

 

[fly girl]

You will hear both sides -- some love WDW more, others love DLR. You'll never get a consensus.

The big thing I noticed is that you have never been to DLR. That's enough for me to say go to DLR! It is time for you to check it out! See what YOU like better.





(psst, DLR is better ... just sayin')

 

[mdmost]

Yes, the castle is smaller. Yes, there's not a Disney bubble around it. It's not the same Disney experience at DLR and that's just fine. Disneyland is so much more intimate and enjoyable, IMO. I love that it's a smaller park and you don't have to undergo the huge investment in time and stress to get to the parks every day via a shuttle or monorail. I'm in two frames of mind when I go to DLR vs. WDW. WDW I'm a lot more stressed because it's hotter, more crowded, more FOMO-ish, and there's never enough time combined with that Florida weather that drains your life force. That said, every time we go to WDW, we have a great time. We have an even better time at DLR because it just suits our family better. Getting back to the hotel for a quick afternoon swim isn't a chore. We're not waiting on a shuttle that may not arrive for a while.

I once thought before we had ever gone to DLR that there was no way it could compare to our magical Disney vacation at WDW in 2015. Boy was I so very wrong. It made me upset with myself that I never went prior to then. DLR is beautiful park and from the moment you walk through the turnstile and see the sign above the tunnel, you are transported back to that time when Walt first opened the park. I've also found that the guests at DLR are just so much more laid back. There's less parents yelling at their kids and trust me I get why that happens at WDW. It's a high stress environment. I love those cool California mornings and the fog layer as opposed to sweating at 8am. Maybe we're just going at the wrong time to WDW but we've never had a bad trip to DLR weather wise outside of some mid-afternoon heat. There's so many little things in DLR that make it great. The little touches that Walt and the Imagineers did that make it special. There are lots of little places to just take a moment, relax, and enjoy what Walt created. Our Labor Day trip to WDW just made me want to go back to DLR even more.

If you've never been, the answer seems simple to me. Go to the park that started it all.

 

[AlohaNow]

Another vote here for DLR. As stated above, you will not have the full bubble experience of WDW. I never visited DLR until I was an adult and we vastly prefer DLR to WDW. There is no insane level of planning needed, grabbing a hotel somewhere on Harbor/Katella is so easy and cheap, and no crazy heat/humidity. Heck, CarsLand alone is seriously worth it.

 

[Kit Jackson]

Heck, CarsLand alone is seriously worth it.

I am a huge fan of many classic disney rides. I love standing near the hub and the partners statue, looking around at all of the lands/hubs coming off the center/wheel and realizing this is what Walt Disney imagined. It's amazing to actually stand where Walt Disney stood. I appreciate Disney history.

In my opinion, CarsLand may be the greatest single themed land/MiniPark that they ever created for the parks.