Who's done Disneyland and WDW...

[buckylarue]

What I liked better at DL was that I could watch DS perform in front of the castle there! But that probably doesn't count. I love Matterhorn; all of Fantasyland, especially the Storybook Canal Boats and for some reason, the Alice in Wonderland ride; the big sailing boat (what was that called?). What both DL and MK/WDW have better at DL are POTC (FAR better at DL) and the Railroad. I didn't ride SM, but DS said it's better at DL. I also loved the Parade of Dreams, and the fact that I could walk from one "land" to another in a lot less time than at WDW. But the castle there is so much smaller, and you can't eat in it.

The sailing ship Columbia is what you are thinknig of; very cool. Now, as far as the Storybook Land Canal Boats goes, I finally got up the nerve to ride them again this year for the first time since I was 4 1/2 years old, in 1956. My parents had said we were going on a nice boat ride past a lot of storybook characters' homes, which sounded nice...UNTIL WE WERE SWALLOWED BY A GIGANTIC KILLER WHALE!!!!
I screamed my head off and didn't see any of the rest of the ride (and I doubt anyone else on the boat did either ). And you know what? It's STILL scary going down Monstro's gullet!

I love both DLR and WDW, and could not pick a favorite. I REALLY want to get to Tokyo, Paris, and Hong Kong to see the rest of the family...

 

[goodeats]

I greatly prefer Disneyland to the Magic Kingdom, in fact next trip I don't really plan to go to the MK at all. To me the MK seems so run down and un magical.

But I love WDW. I would never go for a week to the Disneyland Resort, but a week is the least I could do at WDW!

 

[tlynk]

I prefer WDW over Disneyland, because there is so much more to do. In addition, WDW offers a better variety of "Disney" resorts to stay at with different price ranges to fit every budget.

If I had to choose between MK and DL-Disneyland wins by a wide margin! The rides at DL seem extra special- made with love . The rides at MK seem like they don't have the extra special touches- not as good. I would miss DL if I didn't live on the West Coast.

However, if I had my choice I would go to WDW. I love the water parks, love Epcot, MGM, the food, and everything else about it.

 

[Amy]

I love the small size of DL - you can stay at a cheaper hotel outside the park and still WALK to DL, Calif Adventure, Downtown Disney. Nothing like that big plaza between the 2 parks. For rides, Pirates of the Caribbean is better at DL. Haunted Mansion is the same inside, but I like the exterior of DL better than MK. You can't beat the Indiana Jones ride at DL - I know it's the same ride vehicle as Dinosaur in Animal Kingdom, but the Indiana Jones theming is the best. The Matterhorn is cool, too. The New Orleans Square theming is great, as is the Blue Bayou restaurant, right inside POC.

I do like the castle much better in WDW, and Philharmagic is THE BEST!

I didn't see it mentioned, but I liked the DL version of Fantasmic better than the MGM version; HOWEVER, MGM wins because you can actually SIT to watch Fantasmic.

Like others have said, DL is great for a quick Disney fix; WDW is for a longer, more laid-back vacation.

 

[CamColt]

Disneyland- Matterhorn, Mr Toad, Indiana Jones, better POC(and Blue Bayou), better IASW & JC & HM(especially with the holiday overlay), Aladdin, Toontown over all plus Mickeys Toontown Madness, Fatasmic show, The First 50 Magical Years, Remember...Dreams Come True,the closeness of everything, most of all the nostalgia and history of the place. Everytime I walk under the castle in my head I see that picture of Walt standing right there.

WDW-More resorts, Fantasmic set up better, ESPN Club is better(at least as far as nachos are concerned ), better TOT, more to do outside the parks, and for me, a shorter flight.

 

[AnaheimGirl]

I also prefer the parks at DL to the parks at WDW, but for a week or more vacation, I'd choose WDW, because there is more to do.

As others said, DL has more attractions than WDW's MK (some very dear to my heart), and our family prefers CA to Epcot, AK or MGM. I know a lot of people disagree with that one, but our family greatly prefers rides to shows, exhibits and the like, so a day at CA is oodles more fun than a day at any of the other WDW parks, even if some of the rides are a little cheesy.

Of course, WDW has two water parks, which our family loves as well, and more hotels to choose from, with more recreational activities. So they each hold their own special appeal. So depending on what we're looking for on a particular trip, either one might seem "better" at different points in time.

 

[Amyn1274]

Thanks to the OP for starting this thread. We average about 10 trips to WDW a year and have been thinking about going to DL and this thread really makes me want to go and try it.

 

[goodeats]

Southern California weather is usually pretty mild, so anytime is great. Right now we're having 80 degree weather, but that's unusual for January! It's hard to say when it will rain.

Crowds on the weekends and when school's out are quite large (especially this year). Midweek in October, early December, and May would be good times. Like WDW you should avoid Spring Break at all costs! I know there's one week that Arizona (and maybe Utah too) schools get off in October that affect crowds, but not sure which week, so definitely research that. If you go in October the Haunted Mansion is overlayed with the Nightmare Before Christmas and New Orleans Square has special decorations.

 

[Disney Girlie-Wirlie]

and what did you like that one park had that the other did not?

I agree about New Orleans Square- that is one thing (the only thing) that Disneyland has that I wish DisneyWorld doesn't.

Other than that, WDW far surpasses DL as far as the quality and feeling of the park.
WDW you really feel like you're in a whole new place,in this childhood fantasy, it surrounds you all over and it's so huge that it's opverwhelming (in a good way). Where DL is kind of disappointing. DL is really just the park where WDW is a whole "world" of things to do!
Ofcourse, when I went to DL it was a couple years ago after years and years of being spolied by the splender of WDW. When I walked into DL, the first thing that caught my eye was Matterhorn Mt and I said to my hubbie: Where the hell is the castle? And then i saw it. It was so small! I didn't like that at all. One of my all-time favorite moments in WDW is the first time I walk into the MK and see that majestic castle staring right back at me, it brings tears to my eyes. DL didn't give me that feeling.
But all in all, DisneyLand is still Disney so I still liked it and if I'm back in California at any time I'd probably make an effort to go.

 

[MrShiny]

I've done both - went to DL as a child, then back about 20 years later. Took the family a few years after that, wound up on the Disneyland Advisory Council for 2004. For the 50th, we just had to go for the actual day, and on top of that, we bought DVC, so we wanted to do that! Oh, and a game convention I go to in Indy was out there, so I ended up going to WDW in June and October and DL in February, July and November!

A huge Disney year for me - but it was great.

I do love both. Disneyland is jam packed - those two parks have more actual rides than the four in Florida combined (now if you add walkthroughs and shows, of course WDW pulls ahead). This in the footprint of MGM.

Right now, it is hard to beat DL. If you have not been since May, it's amazing. It looks brand new. They fixed up about every square inch. The new fireworks (when the wind allows!) beat WDW, although the parade is so-so.

Pirates makes the WDW version look like a highlight reel. And dining on the banks at Blue Bayou is great! ToonTown is more like the one in Roger Rabbit - with an actual Roger Rabbit ride.

Now on the other side, Tomorrowland is better at WDW. The vacant Timekeeper not as much and eyesore as the defunct Peoplemover/Rocket Rods. Although I hear the newly restored Space Mt. is great (not much of a coaster person), Carousel of Progress does beat Innoventions. Autopia is much more appealing than the Tomorrowland Speedway though.

New Orleans Square is a real treat though (why no WDW Club 33?). Haunted Mansion has a more logical entrance and a stretching room that really goes down (instead of just the ceiling going up).

Indy is about the best Disney has done. The Aladdin show at DCA is great entertainment - like Broadway, but shorter!

The new Pixar rides (Monster's Inc. and Finding Nemo look promising - subs! they are bringing back subs!)

I do like the cost of DL too. Even though it does cost more (but not much) to fly out there for me, the hotels are great. You can stay across the street for under $100. And if you do go more than once, their Annual Passes are a steal.

The weather is generally better in the summer, and although you miss the exercise of all that walking, you miss the aching feet too!

Now that being said, it's hard to spend more than 2-3 days right at Disneyland. And after 3 trips, if you say at Disney, you've done all the hotels (and really, only the GC is like the themed hotels at WDW).

So if I want a great little long weekend trip, DL is it (if longer, we usually add in San Diego). If I want a full week vacation, WDW.

The worst part about DL for me is loosing those 2 hours on the flight home! Basically, you kill most of a day flying back (leave at 1PM, arrive at 7PM Chicago time).

 

[Randy K]

For those considering a DL trip and have only been to WDW avoid Spring break and June to Mid August at all cost. I keep reading about how bad WDW regulars consider July as being so crowded in WDW. Well I went there 4th of July week in 2001 and did not consider the crowds that bad at all. Wait times on the big rides were usually 30-45 minutes and an hour at the worst and Fast Pass works well there. Compare that to DL in Summer where the wait times for the big rides are usually 60-90 minutes and many times hit 2 hours!.

 

[disney-super-mom]

Well, we're DL veterans. Even our two boys, ages 6.5 and 2.5, know DL like the back of their hands.

Now we're planning our first trip to WDW in September, and hopefully as DVC members to boot! I'm very excited to see all the other parks (Epcot, MGM, and AK, and even MK) and experience a "total vacation experience" instead of strictly a "theme park vacation".

The only castle we've ever seen in the one at DL, so I can't wait to see the BIG castle at the MK.

My only problem is trying to explain to my 6.5 year old where his favorite ride is. (Star Tours) I can just see him running into Tomorrowland at the MK and then suddenly stopping in his tracks and getting that "What in the heck is going on here?!" look on his face! I've tried to explain it to him, but he just doesn't understand that there could possibly be more than one "happiest place on earth." Maybe I'll take him to MGM first so he'll understand why Star Tours isn't at the MK. Hmmmmmm...or maybe I'd rather catch that "What in the heck is going on here?!" look on his face with the ole camera.

 

[G8RFAN]

We just came back from DL and EVERYBODY had warned me that DL would be smaller, more worn, and just plain less to do. Well, maybe because of the anniversary event, but DL was very clean and in some cases looked better than WDW. I thought Autotopia was nicer than the Speedway and my DS04 loved Casey Jr. so much that we must have rode it 10 times in the 2 1/2 days we spent there. My son likes Barnstormer over Gadget's ride at the Toontowns. The fact that SM has a lower height restriction at DL than at MK is a BIG plus for both of us. Once EE opens up at AK, it should help negate California Screamin and Matterhorn Bobsleds. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised how much we enjoyed DL, but maybe because we had lowered our expectations or maybe because we saw so many similarities to WDW, a place we love and never tire of.

 

[kcork1026]

Loved the Indiana Jones ride at the land.....but LOVE everything about the WORLD!