Is Disneyland as magical as Disney World ?

[Version 6]

I've never been to WDW. The idea of having roughly the same number of attractions spread over such a vast area, having to catch buses between parks and having to plan everything (including fastpasses) months in advance just does not appeal to me. What am I missing?

 

[ERQTraveler]

Entering a WDW park is like walking into a Wal-Mart.

What does this mean???

 

[GoingSince1990]

Less of a “bubble” (for example, you can see the “real world” from high floors in the GCH) but still utterly magical. Try it, I think you will love it.

 

[starry_solo]

YES!

 

[paradesintherain]

I don't have a "home" park, and I've been going to both since I was a kid. They're both magical in different ways. I actually like staying across the street at the Harbor Blvd hotels - they're close and inexpensive, and everyone is going to Disneyland so it's exciting.

There's a definite "feel" to Disneyland. Disneyland vs Magic Kingdom is no contest! But as a whole I find them special and magical for their differences. I don't really see the need to pit them against each other.

 

[DLfan4]

Disneyland is the original park. This is the park that Walk built, walked around, and lived at. It can't get any more magical than that.

 

[SteveNZ]

Disneyland is incredible and beautiful. The streets around the parks (Harbor, Katella, etc), while not Disney property, are very nicely themed for several blocks as if it is (even the bus stops look like something from Main Street USA). There is a definite resort feel, it's not just slapped in the middle of a city. And once you're in the parks you could be a million miles from anywhere, same as in the WDW parks. Do it, enjoy it, a lot of WDW fans get stuck thinking everything else in inferior so break that mould.

 

[Captainkidd76]

As a lifelong Disneyworld visitor and someone who just visited Disneyland, no the Disney magic was not there for me(although it was very fun local theme park!). But thats because I see my Disney trips as week long resort vacation with all the trimmings. Disneyland just isn't setup to offer that.

We stayed at Disneyland for 6 nights, and easily could have done a few more days.

 

[Brett Wyman]

We stayed at Disneyland for 6 nights, and easily could have done a few more days.

We had 4 fun days in the parks but definitely felt like we’d seen it all at that point.

 

[720L]

Yes! It's a whole different feel. It's less tiring -to me- because everything is close together. If you want park hop you can just walk there!

 

[Captainkidd76]

We had 4 fun days in the parks but definitely felt like we’d seen it all at that point.

We had too, absolutely. We're different than most people I think. I can go on the same rides at Disney and Universal over and over. We spend 10 days at Universal, with Express, and don't get bored.

 

[fly girl]

I'm planning our first trip to Disneyland and having some of the same concerns, although for me the lack of planning is part of the problem. I can understand where people who don't want to do the planning would find WDW problematic, because the planning is absolutely the magic bullet. We went for the first time a couple years ago. We were there for a week and since we'd never been before and didn't know if we would return we wanted to do it all. And we did, a lot of the highlights twice--and never waited for anything more than 30 minutes, frankly we only waited more than 15 minutes a handful of times. And it wasn't like it was a slow time--people all around us were waiting hours for things, and while it's kind of odd to admit it there was a little rush to consistently bypassing all that. My husband was constantly saying things like "wait that's not the ride we did this morning is it? why are they waiting so long?" We had a fairly good idea how it would all play out going in. Disneyland doesn't seem like that at all. There seems to be a lot of crossing your fingers and hoping. I mean I've decided it would be nice to get a couple reservations for Oga's when we go in November. My husband's first response was when can we book them? And apparently we can't book them until the morning we want to use them. Seriously? Anyway, I'm sure it will be magical and I'm really hoping it gives WDW a run for it's money--in fact I guess I'm crossing my fingers and hoping...

No need to cross your fingers and hope.

As a Type A mega planner, I too was a little bewildered to not have to plan for DL. You're saying I can get a reservation at Blue Bayou a day before? Probably, but I still booked mine very early. Can't help it, it is the WDW planner in me. But for FP's oh man, it is back to what was before the +, and that is AWESOME! You will get more ride time and the low waits with the older system. And now being able to do it on your phone. Oh Disneyland, you hit that sweet spot of perfection!!

The chill vibe is so nice at DLR. I always tell people who are first time planners to WDW to prepare, someone in their party will at some point have a meltdown. (Usually, an adult). After all the time and money put into this huge trip when things start going off plan, people freak. Sure it doesn't happen to everyone, but I put it out there so they are prepared. (Everyone in my family has had one, lol) But at DLR, you really don't see as many full blown meltdowns. You'll have tired and cranky kids, but the pace is not hurry hurry hurry we got to get to our ADR, hurry hurry hurry we are going to miss the bus. That is a bonus!

And Oga's day of, try not to stress. Like PP said, they had to do something after the fact. I have been watching it for my upcoming trip in a few weeks. Day one, able to score as late as 9:30am PST. Yesterday, I logged on at Noon and could still get one. Do I suggest that? No, get on your phone at 6:45am PST and get in the virtual queue. But you'll get one. I'm telling you the vibe isn't as hyper focused as WDW.

Enjoy it! It really is nice. But taking yourself out of the WDW mindset is not easy. I know, I was and still am you. LOL.

 

[nkereina]

One of the magical things about Disney World (and to a lesser extent, Universal) is that the size and layout mean you can shut out the real world and live the fantasy (particularly if you stay on site).

We are WDW vets who just returned from our first DL trip (trip report is in my signature). This is the one thing that DL did not do for us - we didn't have that "bubble" experience there. Which is fine - not everyone needs or wants that. And I wouldn't say it made the parks any less magical. But it is a different type of vacation.

At WDW, from the moment you step off the plane, your time "taking care of business" is over - someone else gets your luggage, your room number is texted to you, you're driven to your resort and parks, no worries about traffic/directions/parking, etc. Everything is self-contained and you really don't have to think at all, which is a great way to disconnect. On our DL trip, we had to book our own shuttle from the airport and we chose to stay off-site because the price was much more affordable. I think if we had stayed at the Grand Californian, it would have helped because you wouldn't really need to set foot off property unless you wanted to. But, you are still missing out on the airport transportation/bag handling and magic band experience.

We concluded that DL is a great addition when we want to take a trip that incorporates doing things other than Disney (i.e. beach, sightseeing around a city, etc). But if its a Disney-centric trip we want, WDW would be our choice.

 

[PoohsFan1]

We are WDW vets and have been to DLR 4 times now and are in the early planning stages for our 5th trip next June. We absolutely love DLR, to tell you the truth, we like it so much more then WDW. We just returned from WDW a couple of weeks ago and it was just so hot and crowded. We did enjoy the parks but we couldn't ride a lot of the rides, we rode the 3 rides that we had FPs for due to making them before we left, but we couldn't ride the bigger E tickets rides more then once due to the standby lines were too crazy and there were no more FPs available. There is just something about DLR that really draws to us. I think it is the fact that you don't have to rely on transportation, plus the rides seem to be better at DL and at DCA (I am in love with Carsland and cannot wait to see Pixar Pier). Another great thing about DLR is that you don't get the crowds there like you do at WDW mainly because it is a locals park. I have been watching the DLR app just to see wait times, especially for Galaxy's Edge, and the wait time is nothing like what the wait times will be when Galaxy's Edge opens at WDW . So to answer the OPs question....I definitely believe that DLR has way more magic then WDW,

 

[DLgal]

We had 4 fun days in the parks but definitely felt like we’d seen it all at that point.

I bet you hadn't, though. I've been a weekly visitor (more or less) since 2001 and there are still things I haven't done in the parks. I only recently did the Canoes for the first time. Did you watch a show at Golden Horseshoe? Did you do the canoes? Did you watch Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln? Did you visit all the cool lounges at DCA? Did you ride both boats on the Rivers of America? Did you see all the live musical performers in both parks? Did you take any tours? I could go on. There is so much to do at DLR, but most people skip over a lot of it and leave feeling like they "did it all."

 

[ChrissyLou]

We've "planned" trips to WDW only for me to decide against it because I start to second guess everything. In researching it seems to me that WDW has more restaurants, shops, and shows, (and actual parks of course), but as far as ride attractions go, DLR has more. I don't love Disney food enough that the many restaurants lure me, nor do the shops...as much as I love Disney, I am not one of those people that has a Disney themed kitchen or drips Disney products (I think I own two tee shirts and a hat) so except for a browse through shops and purchase here and there the shopping doesn't lure me either. The sheer size of WDW as a whole frankly turns me off, size is not always better.

I don't know if I'll ever be able to bite the bullet and go for it ... I am a planner and a pretty patient person, but the cost is so much greater for us to get to Florida, then there's the weather (humidity, monsoon rains, etc.), massive crowds, and I see people talk about the Disney bubble, but for me I don't see how everything being such an undertaking, getting from hotel to a park, transportation delays, long waits with throngs of people dripping wet from humidity or rain for for buses, Minnie Vans, or ride share or rental cars would make me feel like I'm in a bubble at all, much less a Disney one. We don't stay onsite when we go to DL, and it doesn't bother me one bit, now if money was absolutely no object of course I'd stay onsite, and I can see understand how for some people they will only stay onsite, but I personally am just fine outside any conceived bubble. Then the whole Fast Pass system there sounds awful. I'd be so disappointed to spend THOUSANDS of dollars on a WDW vacation not to be able to ride every ride I wanted to during our trip and having to use Fast Pass for character meet and greets too, UGH! And no New Orleans Square, well I just can't even fathom...

I think I am one of those that probably should just stick to DL, Walt's original park - when I read people comparing the two I sense that I would be horribly disappointed by so many things at WDW that the trip would frankly be one that we'd never wish to repeat and I'd be mad we didn't go to Europe for the same price (fake European countries at Epcot don't excite me - although fake New Orleans at DL does...haha). In addition my kids have grown up going to DLR so we have all those magical memories ingrained in us and I think for most people the park they grew up going to is where the magic lies, although even many frequent WDW park goers often give the upperhand to DL when comparing MAGIC only simply because of Walt's hand in things and the attractions that only exist in DL.

Maybe I'm shortchanging ourselves by not trying it and maybe some day we will, but ... for now I think I'll plan a European holiday .

 

[Zooey]

We've "planned" trips to WDW only for me to decide against it because I start to second guess everything. In researching it seems to me that WDW has more restaurants, shops, and shows, (and actual parks of course), but as far as ride attractions go, DLR has more. I don't love Disney food enough that the many restaurants lure me, nor do the shops...as much as I love Disney, I am not one of those people that has a Disney themed kitchen or drips Disney products (I think I own two tee shirts and a hat) so except for a browse through shops and purchase here and there the shopping doesn't lure me either. The sheer size of WDW as a whole frankly turns me off, size is not always better.

I don't know if I'll ever be able to bite the bullet and go for it ... I am a planner and a pretty patient person, but the cost is so much greater for us to get to Florida, then there's the weather (humidity, monsoon rains, etc.), massive crowds, and I see people talk about the Disney bubble, but for me I don't see how everything being such an undertaking, getting from hotel to a park, transportation delays, long waits with throngs of people dripping wet from humidity or rain for for buses, Minnie Vans, or ride share or rental cars would make me feel like I'm in a bubble at all, much less a Disney one. We don't stay onsite when we go to DL, and it doesn't bother me one bit, now if money was absolutely no object of course I'd stay onsite, and I can see understand how for some people they will only stay onsite, but I personally am just fine outside any conceived bubble. Then the whole Fast Pass system there sounds awful. I'd be so disappointed to spend THOUSANDS of dollars on a WDW vacation not to be able to ride every ride I wanted to during our trip and having to use Fast Pass for character meet and greets too, UGH! And no New Orleans Square, well I just can't even fathom...

I think I am one of those that probably should just stick to DL, Walt's original park - when I read people comparing the two I sense that I would be horribly disappointed by so many things at WDW that the trip would frankly be one that we'd never wish to repeat and I'd be mad we didn't go to Europe for the same price (fake European countries at Epcot don't excite me - although fake New Orleans at DL does...haha). In addition my kids have grown up going to DLR so we have all those magical memories ingrained in us and I think for most people the park they grew up going to is where the magic lies, although even many frequent WDW park goers often give the upperhand to DL when comparing MAGIC only simply because of Walt's hand in things and the attractions that only exist in DL.

Maybe I'm shortchanging ourselves by not trying it and maybe some day we will, but ... for now I think I'll plan a European holiday .

I love Disneyland but I will always go back to WDW for Epcot and Animal Kingdom. They’re great parks, totally worth seeing, especially in a few years when Epcot’s renovations are mostly done.

 

[Steven G]

I bet you hadn't, though. I've been a weekly visitor (more or less) since 2001 and there are still things I haven't done in the parks. I only recently did the Canoes for the first time. Did you watch a show at Golden Horseshoe? Did you do the canoes? Did you watch Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln? Did you visit all the cool lounges at DCA? Did you ride both boats on the Rivers of America? Did you see all the live musical performers in both parks? Did you take any tours? I could go on. There is so much to do at DLR, but most people skip over a lot of it and leave feeling like they "did it all."

You can also mention the Main Street Cinema, Blue Sky Cellar, Mickey and Magical Map, Storytelling at Royal Theater, the DCA Trolley, or on the Main Street Vehicles..

These are the only things I haven't done (ever) --
Canoes (DL)
Animation Studio (DCA)

In any case, I feel most at home at Disneyland. It is my "happy place".

Waiting for a bus for nearly 30 minutes to go to the hotel from Hollywood Studios in Florida really broke the magic, especially since me and my son were so tired.

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

Animation Studio (DCA)

You've got to try this next time! I didn't think it would be that fun, my family made me go along, but I ended up thinking it was really neat. I've gone back a couple of times now.

 

[nkereina]

These are the only things I haven't done (ever) --
Canoes (DL)
Animation Studio (DCA)

You're missing out - you gotta get to Animation Studio! We visited DL for the first time a few weeks ago and did it. We've missed it ever since it was removed from Hollywood Studios! The one at DL was larger, so much easier to get a seat, and we loved that they had the drawing schedule posted so you could decide which class to go to. Its a really unique thing!

Waiting for a bus for nearly 30 minutes to go to the hotel from Hollywood Studios in Florida really broke the magic, especially since me and my son were so tired.

I don't disagree. One thing we really liked about DL is that we could so easily and quickly walk between the parks and our hotel. That was convenient, efficient, and saved us so much time compared to the buses at WDW. The size of WDW is a double-edged sword - on one hand, its great that they have so many parks and so many things to see and do, but on the other hand - the distance between everything can be limiting and frustrating. WDW property is twice the size of Manhattan (or the size of San Francisco, for west coasters ).