Is Disneyland as magical as Disney World ?

[Steven G]

I've wanted to go to Animation Studio, believe me. Each time we decided we should go, we seem to just miss a session start, or we ended up going to Turtle Time instead, or we just didn't have enough time (dinner reservation, etc.).

I figure we'll go one day.

 

[Aladora]

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.

Totally agree, my family all agree that while Disneyland is our favourite as a whole, our two favourite parks are AK and Epcot.

I believe Disneyland/DCA actually has WDW beat by about 9 rides

Okay, so I am at work killing time until we leave on vacation in a couple of days so I actually compiled two lists of all the attractions at DLR and at WDW.

It gets a little tricky to compare when you ask "how do you define an attraction?"

Is it just rides?
Does it include shows?
Does it include walk through exhibits such as the galleries in World Showcase?
What about street performers?
Rides that are not yet open but will soon be?

Having said all of that, here is what I listed, these include galleries but not shows (except the ones in WS) and excludes some activities such as Agent P, Wilderness Explorers and SotMK. The answer is, it's pretty darned close. If you exclude the galleries then DLR has the edge but once SW:GE opens in HS then WDW will.

The totally not definitive list:

	Disneyland / DCA		WDW
1​	Alice in Wonderland		Advanced Training Lab
2​	Animation Academy		Alien Swirling Saucers
3​	Astro Orbitor		The American Adventure
4​	Autopia		American Heritage Gallery
5​	Bakery Tour		Astro Orbitor
6​	BTMRR		Avatar Flight of Passage
7​	Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters		Barnstormer
8​	Casey Jr. Circus Train		BTMRR
9​	Chip 'n Dale Treehouse		Bijitsu-kan Gallery
10​	Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes		Boneyard
11​	Disney Gallery		Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin
12​	Disneyland Monorail		Casey Jr. Splash 'n Soak Station
13​	Disneyland Railroad		Dinosaur
14​	Donald's Boat		Dumbo
15​	Dumbo		Expedition Everest
16​	Emotional Whirlwind (opening any day now!)		Frontierland Shootin' Arcade
17​	Finding Nemo Submarine		Frozen Ever After
18​	Frontierland Shootin' Exposition		Gallery of Arts and History
19​	Gadget's Go Coaster		Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail
20​	Games of Pixar Pier		Gran Fiesta Tour
21​	Golden Zephyr		Hall of Presidents
22​	Goofy's Playhouse		Haunted Mansion
23​	Goofy's Sky School		ImageWorks
24​	Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln		Impressions de France
25​	Grizzly River Run		Innoventions
26​	Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout		it's a small world
27​	Haunted Mansion		ITTBAB
28​	Incredicoaster		Journey into Imagination with Figment
29​	Indiana Jones Adventure		Jungle Cruise
30​	it's a small world		Kali River Rapids
31​	Jessie's Critter Carousel		Kilimanjaro Safari
32​	Jumpin' Jellyfish		Liberty Square Riverboat
33​	Jungle Cruise		Living with the Land
34​	King Arthur Carrousel		Mad Tea Party
35​	Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure		Magic Carpets of Aladdin
36​	Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters		Maharaja Jungle Trek
37​	Mad Tea Party		Main Street Vehicles
38​	Main Street Cinema		Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
39​	Main Street Vehicles		Mexico Folk Art Gallery
40​	Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh		Mickey's PhilharMagic
41​	Mark Twain Riverboat		Mission: Space
42​	Mater's Junkyard Jamboree		Monster's Inc. Laugh Floor
43​	Matterhorn Bobsleds		Muppet Vision 3D
44​	Mickey's House		Na'vi River Journey
45​	Mickey's PhilharMagic		O Canada!
46​	Milennium Falcon:Smugglers Run		Peter Pan's Flight
47​	Minnie's House		Pirates of the Caribbean
48​	Monster's Inc. Mike & Sully to the Rescue		Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
49​	Mr. Toad's Wild Ride		Reflections of China
50​	Peter Pan's Flight		Rock 'n Roller Coaster
51​	Pinocchio's Daring Journey		Seas with Nemo and Friends
52​	Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island		Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
53​	Pirates of the Caribbean		Slinky Dog Dash
54​	Pixar Pal-A-Round		Soarin' Around the World
55​	Radiator Springs Racers		Space Mountain
56​	Redwood Creek Challenge Trail		Spaceship Earth
57​	Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin		Splash Mountain
58​	Sailing Ship Columbia		Star Tours
59​	Silly Symphony Swings		Star Wars Launch Bay
60​	Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough		Stave Church Gallery
61​	Snow White's Scary Adventures		Swiss Family Treehouse
62​	Soarin' Over California		Test Track
63​	Sorcerer's Workshop		Tomorrowland Speedway
64​	Space Mountain		Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
65​	Splash Mountain		Tom Sawyer Island
66​	Star Tours		Toy Story Mania
67​	Star Wars Launch Bay		TriceraTop Spin
68​	Storybook Land Canal Boats		Turtle Talk with Crush
69​	Tarzan's Treehouse		Tower of Terror
70​	Toy Story Midway Mania		Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
71​	Turtle Talk with Crush		Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress
72​	Walt Disney Imagineering Blue Sky Cellar		Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room
73​	Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room		Walt Disney World Railway

 

[Zooey]

Totally agree, my family all agree that while Disneyland is our favourite as a whole, our two favourite parks are AK and Epcot.



Okay, so I am at work killing time until we leave on vacation in a couple of days so I actually compiled two lists of all the attractions at DLR and at WDW.

It gets a little tricky to compare when you ask "how do you define an attraction?"

Is it just rides?
Does it include shows?
Does it include walk through exhibits such as the galleries in World Showcase?
What about street performers?
Rides that are not yet open but will soon be?

Having said all of that, here is what I listed, these include galleries but not shows (except the ones in WS) and excludes some activities such as Agent P, Wilderness Explorers and SotMK. The answer is, it's pretty darned close. If you exclude the galleries then DLR has the edge but once SW:GE opens in HS then WDW will.

The totally not definitive list:

	Disneyland / DCA		WDW
1​	Alice in Wonderland		Advanced Training Lab
2​	Animation Academy		Alien Swirling Saucers
3​	Astro Orbitor		The American Adventure
4​	Autopia		American Heritage Gallery
5​	Bakery Tour		Astro Orbitor
6​	BTMRR		Avatar Flight of Passage
7​	Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters		Barnstormer
8​	Casey Jr. Circus Train		BTMRR
9​	Chip 'n Dale Treehouse		Bijitsu-kan Gallery
10​	Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes		Boneyard
11​	Disney Gallery		Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin
12​	Disneyland Monorail		Casey Jr. Splash 'n Soak Station
13​	Disneyland Railroad		Dinosaur
14​	Donald's Boat		Dumbo
15​	Dumbo		Expedition Everest
16​	Emotional Whirlwind (opening any day now!)		Frontierland Shootin' Arcade
17​	Finding Nemo Submarine		Frozen Ever After
18​	Frontierland Shootin' Exposition		Gallery of Arts and History
19​	Gadget's Go Coaster		Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail
20​	Games of Pixar Pier		Gran Fiesta Tour
21​	Golden Zephyr		Hall of Presidents
22​	Goofy's Playhouse		Haunted Mansion
23​	Goofy's Sky School		ImageWorks
24​	Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln		Impressions de France
25​	Grizzly River Run		Innoventions
26​	Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout		it's a small world
27​	Haunted Mansion		ITTBAB
28​	Incredicoaster		Journey into Imagination with Figment
29​	Indiana Jones Adventure		Jungle Cruise
30​	it's a small world		Kali River Rapids
31​	Jessie's Critter Carousel		Kilimanjaro Safari
32​	Jumpin' Jellyfish		Liberty Square Riverboat
33​	Jungle Cruise		Living with the Land
34​	King Arthur Carrousel		Mad Tea Party
35​	Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure		Magic Carpets of Aladdin
36​	Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters		Maharaja Jungle Trek
37​	Mad Tea Party		Main Street Vehicles
38​	Main Street Cinema		Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
39​	Main Street Vehicles		Mexico Folk Art Gallery
40​	Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh		Mickey's PhilharMagic
41​	Mark Twain Riverboat		Mission: Space
42​	Mater's Junkyard Jamboree		Monster's Inc. Laugh Floor
43​	Matterhorn Bobsleds		Muppet Vision 3D
44​	Mickey's House		Na'vi River Journey
45​	Mickey's PhilharMagic		O Canada!
46​	Milennium Falcon:Smugglers Run		Peter Pan's Flight
47​	Minnie's House		Pirates of the Caribbean
48​	Monster's Inc. Mike & Sully to the Rescue		Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
49​	Mr. Toad's Wild Ride		Reflections of China
50​	Peter Pan's Flight		Rock 'n Roller Coaster
51​	Pinocchio's Daring Journey		Seas with Nemo and Friends
52​	Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island		Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
53​	Pirates of the Caribbean		Slinky Dog Dash
54​	Pixar Pal-A-Round		Soarin' Around the World
55​	Radiator Springs Racers		Space Mountain
56​	Redwood Creek Challenge Trail		Spaceship Earth
57​	Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin		Splash Mountain
58​	Sailing Ship Columbia		Star Tours
59​	Silly Symphony Swings		Star Wars Launch Bay
60​	Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough		Stave Church Gallery
61​	Snow White's Scary Adventures		Swiss Family Treehouse
62​	Soarin' Over California		Test Track
63​	Sorcerer's Workshop		Tomorrowland Speedway
64​	Space Mountain		Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
65​	Splash Mountain		Tom Sawyer Island
66​	Star Tours		Toy Story Mania
67​	Star Wars Launch Bay		TriceraTop Spin
68​	Storybook Land Canal Boats		Turtle Talk with Crush
69​	Tarzan's Treehouse		Tower of Terror
70​	Toy Story Midway Mania		Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
71​	Turtle Talk with Crush		Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress
72​	Walt Disney Imagineering Blue Sky Cellar		Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room
73​	Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room		Walt Disney World Railway

Awesome list thanks for doing that.

Also wanted to clarify, I LOVE Disneyland and prefer it overall as a destination Disney experience.
But, that being said, I would never stop going to WDW every so often for those parks because they are great.

 

[afwdwfan]

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."

Totally agree... when we went we had 3 days of park tickets with not quite a 4th full day to spend at GCH and DTD. It was adequate to do what we'd prioritized, but we also went when they were gearing up for the 60th so a lot of things that we otherwise would have liked to do were closed (Soarin, Haunted Mansion, Pooh, Matterhorn, World of Color). We still didn't do everything. Yeah, we hit our priorities and went back and did some a second time, but I could easily see spending a full week there. I think it all comes down to what all you want to get out of a trip to Disneyland. I want to have time to slow down and relax but still get a couple of rides on Radiator Springs Racers or Indy, or Pirates, etc... If you just want to hit up the headliners once and move on, 2 - 3 days is good. That's the great thing about Disneyland and how compact it is. I guess if you're in town and have just a day or 2, you can stop by and really feel like you got a lot out of your time there in a way that you couldn't at Disney World due to the differing layout and overall size, but you can really make a stay there what you want it to be.

 

[Summer2018]

Being a lifelong resident of Southern California, I've been going to Disneyland for years.

I'll be going to WDW for the first time in October! Reading about WDW stresses me out because there's too many decisions to make before the trip!!! Hotel, transportation between parks, deciding on a magic band, dining plans, booking ADR 6 months in advance, scheduling FP+ 60 days in advance, etc. There's way too much to plan that I ask the opposite of the OP's question. "Is WDW as magical as Disneyland?"

I'm seriously reconsidering my decision to go to WDW.

ERQ

You will love WDW. Just continue to do your planning. Where are you staying? My favorite resorts are the Polynesian and Contemporary. If you don't stay at a deluxe resort, make sure to carve out time to visit the monorail resorts.

The private fireworks cruise is an amazing way to view the fireworks in Magic Kingdom without the crowds. Try to get a reservation at California Grill...great food, and fireworks viewing. Narcoossees is also awesome.

Have a blast!

 

[Karin1984]

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 feel done, without having seen it all. My first (and only) trip to DL was a 5 day solo trip. It included a backstage tour on day 5, but by day 4 I was done, I had seen/done what I wanted to do multiple times, it included some of the things you mention, but not all. Some things don't interest me, like the canoes, so I wouldn't say I had done it all, but I had done all I wanted to get out of my vacation and I was ready to go to the next part of my vacation.

I have an AP at Disneyland Paris and only make an effort to try new things as in new restaurants, if the price is reasonable (it usually isnt for table service ). But the shooting gallery or pin trading will never happen as it is not my thing.

 

[ChrissyLou]

You will love WDW. Just continue to do your planning. Where are you staying? My favorite resorts are the Polynesian and Contemporary. If you don't stay at a deluxe resort, make sure to carve out time to visit the monorail resorts.

The private fireworks cruise is an amazing way to view the fireworks in Magic Kingdom without the crowds. Try to get a reservation at California Grill...great food, and fireworks viewing. Narcoossees is also awesome.

Have a blast!

Please report back after your trip how you liked it. I'd love to hear your perspective.

 

[ChrissyLou]

Being a lifelong resident of Southern California, I've been going to Disneyland for years.

I'll be going to WDW for the first time in October! Reading about WDW stresses me out because there's too many decisions to make before the trip!!! Hotel, transportation between parks, deciding on a magic band, dining plans, booking ADR 6 months in advance, scheduling FP+ 60 days in advance, etc. There's way too much to plan that I ask the opposite of the OP's question. "Is WDW as magical as Disneyland?"

I'm seriously reconsidering my decision to go to WDW.

ERQ

Please report back after your trip, I would love to hear what you thought about it.

 

[DarthGallifrey]

Totally agree, my family all agree that while Disneyland is our favourite as a whole, our two favourite parks are AK and Epcot.



Okay, so I am at work killing time until we leave on vacation in a couple of days so I actually compiled two lists of all the attractions at DLR and at WDW.

It gets a little tricky to compare when you ask "how do you define an attraction?"

Is it just rides?
Does it include shows?
Does it include walk through exhibits such as the galleries in World Showcase?
What about street performers?
Rides that are not yet open but will soon be?

Having said all of that, here is what I listed, these include galleries but not shows (except the ones in WS) and excludes some activities such as Agent P, Wilderness Explorers and SotMK. The answer is, it's pretty darned close. If you exclude the galleries then DLR has the edge but once SW:GE opens in HS then WDW will.

The totally not definitive list:

	Disneyland / DCA		WDW
1​	Alice in Wonderland		Advanced Training Lab
2​	Animation Academy		Alien Swirling Saucers
3​	Astro Orbitor		The American Adventure
4​	Autopia		American Heritage Gallery
5​	Bakery Tour		Astro Orbitor
6​	BTMRR		Avatar Flight of Passage
7​	Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters		Barnstormer
8​	Casey Jr. Circus Train		BTMRR
9​	Chip 'n Dale Treehouse		Bijitsu-kan Gallery
10​	Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes		Boneyard
11​	Disney Gallery		Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin
12​	Disneyland Monorail		Casey Jr. Splash 'n Soak Station
13​	Disneyland Railroad		Dinosaur
14​	Donald's Boat		Dumbo
15​	Dumbo		Expedition Everest
16​	Emotional Whirlwind (opening any day now!)		Frontierland Shootin' Arcade
17​	Finding Nemo Submarine		Frozen Ever After
18​	Frontierland Shootin' Exposition		Gallery of Arts and History
19​	Gadget's Go Coaster		Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail
20​	Games of Pixar Pier		Gran Fiesta Tour
21​	Golden Zephyr		Hall of Presidents
22​	Goofy's Playhouse		Haunted Mansion
23​	Goofy's Sky School		ImageWorks
24​	Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln		Impressions de France
25​	Grizzly River Run		Innoventions
26​	Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout		it's a small world
27​	Haunted Mansion		ITTBAB
28​	Incredicoaster		Journey into Imagination with Figment
29​	Indiana Jones Adventure		Jungle Cruise
30​	it's a small world		Kali River Rapids
31​	Jessie's Critter Carousel		Kilimanjaro Safari
32​	Jumpin' Jellyfish		Liberty Square Riverboat
33​	Jungle Cruise		Living with the Land
34​	King Arthur Carrousel		Mad Tea Party
35​	Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure		Magic Carpets of Aladdin
36​	Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters		Maharaja Jungle Trek
37​	Mad Tea Party		Main Street Vehicles
38​	Main Street Cinema		Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
39​	Main Street Vehicles		Mexico Folk Art Gallery
40​	Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh		Mickey's PhilharMagic
41​	Mark Twain Riverboat		Mission: Space
42​	Mater's Junkyard Jamboree		Monster's Inc. Laugh Floor
43​	Matterhorn Bobsleds		Muppet Vision 3D
44​	Mickey's House		Na'vi River Journey
45​	Mickey's PhilharMagic		O Canada!
46​	Milennium Falcon:Smugglers Run		Peter Pan's Flight
47​	Minnie's House		Pirates of the Caribbean
48​	Monster's Inc. Mike & Sully to the Rescue		Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
49​	Mr. Toad's Wild Ride		Reflections of China
50​	Peter Pan's Flight		Rock 'n Roller Coaster
51​	Pinocchio's Daring Journey		Seas with Nemo and Friends
52​	Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island		Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
53​	Pirates of the Caribbean		Slinky Dog Dash
54​	Pixar Pal-A-Round		Soarin' Around the World
55​	Radiator Springs Racers		Space Mountain
56​	Redwood Creek Challenge Trail		Spaceship Earth
57​	Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin		Splash Mountain
58​	Sailing Ship Columbia		Star Tours
59​	Silly Symphony Swings		Star Wars Launch Bay
60​	Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough		Stave Church Gallery
61​	Snow White's Scary Adventures		Swiss Family Treehouse
62​	Soarin' Over California		Test Track
63​	Sorcerer's Workshop		Tomorrowland Speedway
64​	Space Mountain		Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
65​	Splash Mountain		Tom Sawyer Island
66​	Star Tours		Toy Story Mania
67​	Star Wars Launch Bay		TriceraTop Spin
68​	Storybook Land Canal Boats		Turtle Talk with Crush
69​	Tarzan's Treehouse		Tower of Terror
70​	Toy Story Midway Mania		Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
71​	Turtle Talk with Crush		Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress
72​	Walt Disney Imagineering Blue Sky Cellar		Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room
73​	Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room		Walt Disney World Railway

Yeah I knew it had to be close. It's still impressive how much DLR/DCA have when you take into account their size vs the 4 parks at WDW. For the longest time I had no interest in visiting DLR because I assumed it was smaller and had nothing different to offer. I'm glad I changed my mind on that haha. Anyways, I love that you put this list together

 

[Aladora]

Yeah I knew it had to be close. It's still impressive how much DLR/DCA have when you take into account their size vs the 4 parks at WDW. For the longest time I had no interest in visiting DLR because I assumed it was smaller and had nothing different to offer. I'm glad I changed my mind on that haha. Anyways, I love that you put this list together

I debated a lot when I put the list together, there are some things on the list that I'm not sure I would count such as all the galleries at Epcot or the Blue Sky Cellar art DCA but left them so no one could complain I was favouring one coast over the other!

 

[disneycat321]

Short answer - yes.

I realize this is a little Disneyland corner in a great big forum site that’s primarily geared towards Disney World, but some of the answers on here make me sad. I don’t see the need to pit DLR and WDW against each other at all, because they are too different to be fairly compared. I also was a DLR local AP holder for a few years and in many, many visits can’t remember ever noticing/hearing the outside world while in the parks except at the top of ToT and Screamin. (I realize both of these have new names/themes now; I haven’t been since they switched.)

My own thoughts - Disneyland is Walt’s park. It’s bursting with magic. It’s my home park and always will be my first Disney love. When I was a local, DLR was my little escape into the magic. I will find magic there whether I’m visiting for 2 hours or 5 days, and I may never stay on site. It is not just a local theme park. Knotts - which I also have fond memories of - is that.

However, I also love Disney World for completely different reasons. Epcot is just amazing. I love the resorts. Animal Kingdom is unique and fantastic. I find magic there, too.

They can both be magical. I don’t feel the need to insult either experience to make the other seem superior. I love them both.

 

[ERQTraveler]

You will love WDW. Just continue to do your planning. Where are you staying? My favorite resorts are the Polynesian and Contemporary. If you don't stay at a deluxe resort, make sure to carve out time to visit the monorail resorts.

The private fireworks cruise is an amazing way to view the fireworks in Magic Kingdom without the crowds. Try to get a reservation at California Grill...great food, and fireworks viewing. Narcoossees is also awesome.

Have a blast!

I’m staying at Contemporary! I reserved Narcoossees too!

I tried getting reservations for California Grill but there was no availability during my stay, which is extremely frustrating because I checked about 5 months out. The same was true for Albert and Victoria.

I’ll continue to plan but I have to say that the amount of planning for this trip is more than any other trip, foreign or domestic, big or small, and I’m many months out!!!

Please report back after your trip, I would love to hear what you thought about it.

I’m considering a trip report to give back to this forum for all of the tips and tricks.

 

[ERQTraveler]

Short answer - yes.

I realize this is a little Disneyland corner in a great big forum site that’s primarily geared towards Disney World, but some of the answers on here make me sad. I don’t see the need to pit DLR and WDW against each other.

My own thoughts - Disneyland is Walt’s park. It’s bursting with magic.

I agree wholeheartedly.

It makes sad to know that some would even question the magical-ness of Disneyland.

Disneyland is Walt’s park. He poured his heart and soul into it. Why would it not be as magical as, or even more than, WDW?

 

[Frozen2014]

Have been to each once and love both but they are different. Disney World is more immersive...you live, breath and sleep Disney. And the theming all around is amazing. But Disneyland is great too. Maybe it's not fair as we stayed across the street on Harbor, but it didn't take away too much as we left in the morning and were at the parks all day. For Disneyland I love how you can hop back and forth between the parks. You can even book a FastPass (via Maxpass app) when at one park for when you cross over to the next. And I love Cars land at DCA. So fun and that is great theming! World of Color show is amazing (dessert party if great if its in the budget). I think both are worthwhile. And yes, Disneyland is the original park and so by that alone, it's magical.

 

[NannyBeBe]

Disneyland is Disneyland and Disneyworld is Disneyworld. And never the twain shall meet (thank goodness). One should not go to DLR with a plan to compare it to WDW, and vice versa. JMHO.

 

[Indiana Scott]

This was such a loaded question..
DW more "Magical"? Probably depends a lot on what one grew up with but for us, there's no comparision.
We used to think WDW was the Mecca of all things Disney. It took three trips to WDW to decide this was far from true.
DLR is the original park and Walts work and devotion sets it apart. There's also all the excess walking and empty space WDW has. After the last trip to WDW we realized how wonderful DLR is and how much less time wasted time is involved when visiting it. There are so many thing missing from WDW and so many more pertinent attractions at DLR.
So at this point, we have no desire to return to WDW.

 

[aliceindisneyland]

Urban Jungle?????

Disneyland is in the middle of suburbia. All of OC is effectively suburbia. Harbor Blvd is right outside the DL gate. It's a somewhat busy thoroughfare lined with hotels and restaurants. It is hardly in the same league as any street in Manhattan. There are homes within 1/4 mile of the parks.

You may hear a stray siren from inside Disneyland if you are in Tomorrowland or some parts of Toontown. Other than that, you won't see nor hear anything that is happening outside the berm. It is an effective barrier.

DL is more magical than WDW. No need to elaborate. Just come and see. And stay on property. You will get that immersion at the GCH, but the DLH is arguably a better overall resort.

Just to elaborate a bit, I live in OC, 15 min away from DL. I go to the parks weekly and feel like I have totally escaped while I am there, every time. I've visited over 400 times. Never fails to give me that feeling.

Thank you. I like your word "escape" so much more than "bubble." For some reason people who say they want a "Disney bubble" experience come off as incredibly snotty to me.

 

[fly girl]

I’m staying at Contemporary! I reserved Narcoossees too!

I tried getting reservations for California Grill but there was no availability during my stay, which is extremely frustrating because I checked about 5 months out. The same was true for Albert and Victoria.

I’ll continue to plan but I have to say that the amount of planning for this trip is more than any other trip, foreign or domestic, big or small, and I’m many months out!!!



I’m considering a trip report to give back to this forum for all of the tips and tricks.

Try Touring Plans reservation finder. You don't have to have a subscription, but you have to log in. You enter the restaurant(s) you want and times and they will text if you if they find an opening. I was able to snag a Be Our Guest that way!

 

[GatorChris]

I've stayed onsite and offsite at DL....and I've not ever felt the "bubble" I feel at WDW. I've stayed at Paradise Pier, which is not very Disney, not very anything, and you have to cross a street to get to the parks. So that gets you out of the bubble. We also stayed at DL Hotel. And as much as I wanted to get that bubble feeling, I never did. It's just too "Hilton" there. Yes, it's better than staying off-site, but not by much. The place we stay at the most is the HoJo. And with a park view room, you kinda get a bubble feeling. But you lose it when you walk past all of those other hotels, restaurants, and homeless folks sleeping at the bus stop.

At WDW, you get off the plane, catch Magical Express to your resort (which instantly puts you in the Disney mood), walk into a fully themed resort lobby with families from all over the world, then stroll to your room where your luggage will be delivered. Then when it's time to go to a park, you head to a bus station and get on a Disney-themed bus and head to the park. And when you get there, you literally breeze through security (compared to DL security lines which kill any magic before you take one step in the parks), and walk into any of 4 new worlds. After a typical theme park day, you then get a night time show at EVERY park, EVERY night. It really puts you in a magical mood....the Bubble, as we call it.

That's the difference for me. If I didn't live so close to DL, or had the money to fly to Florida every year, we'd still be doing that side of the states.

 

[Zooey]

I've stayed onsite and offsite at DL....and I've not ever felt the "bubble" I feel at WDW. I've stayed at Paradise Pier, which is not very Disney, not very anything, and you have to cross a street to get to the parks. So that gets you out of the bubble. We also stayed at DL Hotel. And as much as I wanted to get that bubble feeling, I never did. It's just too "Hilton" there. Yes, it's better than staying off-site, but not by much. The place we stay at the most is the HoJo. And with a park view room, you kinda get a bubble feeling. But you lose it when you walk past all of those other hotels, restaurants, and homeless folks sleeping at the bus stop.

At WDW, you get off the plane, catch Magical Express to your resort (which instantly puts you in the Disney mood), walk into a fully themed resort lobby with families from all over the world, then stroll to your room where your luggage will be delivered. Then when it's time to go to a park, you head to a bus station and get on a Disney-themed bus and head to the park. And when you get there, you literally breeze through security (compared to DL security lines which kill any magic before you take one step in the parks), and walk into any of 4 new worlds. After a typical theme park day, you then get a night time show at EVERY park, EVERY night. It really puts you in a magical mood....the Bubble, as we call it.

That's the difference for me. If I didn't live so close to DL, or had the money to fly to Florida every year, we'd still be doing that side of the states.

Hilton diamond member here, I’ve stayed at a whole lot of Hilton’s, and I can say definitively that the Disneyland Hotel is not Hilton-y.